This analysis reveals how Chinese relative clauses challenge traditional semantics, suggesting a need for comparative perspectives.
The two possible positions of relative clauses (RCs) in Chinese (the pre-demonstrative one and the post-demonstrative, post-numeral and post-classifier one: <RC1> – Demonstrative – Numeral – Classifier – <RC2> – AP- Noun) have since Chao's (1968) characterization of RC1 as “restrictive” and RC2 as “descriptive” (nonrestrictive), made Chinese RCs appear quite different from the RCs of other languages (even in conflict with the standard semantics of restrictive and nonrestrictive RCs). A comparative perspective may perhaps make Chinese RCs appear less unique.
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Guglielmo Cinque (2025) studied this question.
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