Classifying relative clauses in conversational data

This paper explores the challenges of applying traditional classifications of relative clauses to conversational English. Using spoken data, it highlights how evolving usage patterns complicate distinctions between restrictive and non-restrictive clauses, particularly regarding intonation and relativiser choice. Notably, non-restrictive clauses are increasingly introduced by that, previously considered ungrammatical in such contexts. The study identifies Free Relative Clauses (FRCs) as common, yet under-discussed, and introduces a new type—Linking Relative Clauses (LRCs)—where that functions more like a coordinator. These findings suggest that relative clause structures are undergoing grammatical change, raising questions about clause boundaries and syntactic categorisation. The paper calls for further investigation into emerging clause types and their implications for linguistic theory and discourse analysis (AI generated abstract, Copilot)