DI: Lesson - Relative Pronouns - Antecedent

Relative Pronouns - Antecedent

Relative pronouns provide additional information about a particular noun from the independent clause of a sentence. We call that particular noun the antecedent. Therefore, Latin carefully connects a relative pronoun to its antecedent by using two characteristics:

1. Gender
2. Number

Notice, the case of the antecedent is not on that list. The only characteristic which a relative pronoun has control over is its case - the relative pronoun does not obtain its case from the antecedent. For now, let us focus on the two characteristics that the antecedent provides.

The image depicts Marcus Aurelius, who stands at center, with head covered, offering a funerary sacrifice.

Determining the Antecedent

How do you determine which noun is the antecedent? In the example above, Marcus Aurelius is the antecedent of the relative pronoun who. In English, the relative pronoun almost always follows its antecedent directly.

Let's take a closer look at the following example:

• I want to see the boy who did this.  

Boy is followed immediately by the relative pronoun who, and we understand that we will learn more about the noun boy from the clause that follows. Break this complex sentence into the individual parts to confirm:

1. Independent Clause: I want to see the boy.
2. Relative Clause: who did this
   • Which noun does who refer to?
   • Boy - the boy did this.

Latin operates in the same fashion, generally:

• Puerum, qui haec fecit, videre cupio.  

In Latin, though, the additional information of gender and number can help link a relative pronoun to a specific noun: the gender and number of a relative pronoun must agree with the antecedent.

Determining the Case of a Relative Pronoun

The case of a relative pronoun does not depend on the antecedent. Instead, the case of the relative pronoun is determined by its usage within the Relative Clause. A relative clause is a subordinate clause containing a relative pronoun. Reminder: a subordiante clause is also called a dependent clause. Subordinate clauses cannot stand alone as an independent sentence. They contain their own grammatical components: a subject, objects and a verb, but are introduced by a subordinating conjunction (when, while, after, because, if, etc.) or a relative pronoun.

Let's look again at the example from earlier:

• Puerum, qui haec fecit, videre cupio.
• I want to see the boy who did this.

Again, consider each clause by itself:

• Independent Clause: I want to see the boy.
• Relative Clause - turn it into a question:
  • Who did this?
  • The boy did this.
  • What case would boy be if this was a independent clause?

Puerum, qui haec fecit, videre cupio.

Start of Independent Clause	Relative Clause	Remainder of Independent Clause
Puerum	qui haec fecit	videre cupio.
puerum = antecedent Provides gender and number for the relative pronoun	relative pronoun = qui case = nominative case is determined by the role of the RP in the relative clause RP is the subject of the clause, so nominative	This provides the remaining information for the independent clause, putting the antecedent into context.

Review of Relative Pronoun Usage

Qui = masculine, singular, nominative. Why is it masculine and singular? Why is it nominative? These are two separate questions.

1. Why is it masculine and singular?
   • The antecedent determines the gender and number.
   • What is the antecedent?
     • puerum = masculine and singular
2. Why is it nominative?
   • qui is the subject of fecit in the relative clause - (HE) did this. Subject = nominative

Nota Bene

Puerum is accusative, but the relative pronoun, qui, is nominative. The case of the relative pronoun is determined by the relative clause, not the antecedent.