Headed relative clauses in Romeyka

This thesis investigates Headed relative clauses in Romeyka, an endangered and understudied Asia Minor Greek variety spoken mainly in Trabzon, Türkiye. It is the very first extensive study of the Headed relatives in the language. It primarily involves a description of the noun phrase structure and finiteness in the language, and documents Headed relatives by providing a detailed description. It further offers a structural analysis of Headed relatives by focusing on three different linear positions with regards to demonstratives; two of these (N-RC and RC-N) yielding a restrictive reading, and one (RC-N) a non-restrictive one. The possible reasons for the two-way distinction of restrictive relatives are further investigated. The overall conclusion is that these two forms have different derivational paths; evidenced by the observation that the N-RC order shows connectivity effects (does not enable relativization out of islands and stacking) while RC-N doesn't. This corresponds to the idea that while RC-N is derived through matching, N-RC involves raising. The thesis also offers an analysis of the non-restrictives with the conclusion that they are integrated. Adopting Cinque (2020), a step-by-step derivation is provided for each Headed relative type. Considering that Romeyka bears no influence of Modern Greek unlike other Asia Minor Greek varieties, e.g., Cappadocian, Pharasiot, and Pontic, which employ both postnominal and prenominal relatives (Bağrıaçık, 2020; Drettas, 1989; Papadopoulos, 1955), this thesis provides important evidence for what underlies the appearance of the prenominal-postnominal variation in Asia Minor Greek as well.