Description:

There are two relative pronouns. One is used to modify nouns (su), and the other one is used to modify verbs (si). They both inflect for case but not number. This entry is for 'su', see the entry for 'si', attached, for relative clauses that fulfill verbal roles.

Nominal Relative Pronouns

The article su is used to introduce a subordinate clause that describes a noun, in effect the entire subordinate clause acting as a modifier to a noun phrase. For that reason, su blurs the line between an article and a modifier. Its placement must always be immedately after the head term after any prepositional phrases and in series with any other relative clauses that modify the noun. The referent of su is the entire noun phrase it modifies. The referent is always an actor in relation to the verb subordinate clause. The case of su is that of the role of the referent in the relative clause. Phrase order in the relative clause is relatively free, with the caveats that the clause must be introduced by a form of su and that the verb phrase must go last in these causes. A simple example:

 A pocuk su ija paluh noxot triju se an citit.
The(ABS) child that(ABS) the(DAT) dog go(NP-PERF) see stand(NP-IMP) be happy

'The child that saw the dog is happy.'

The article su is in the absolutive case because the referent, the child, is the experiencer of the verb triju, to see, in the subordinate clause. The verb goes to the end of the clause, and that signals to the listener that the clause is over and subsequent speech belongs to the main clause.