Relative clauses [Syntax 3.4.] are marked with various different strategies in DGS, among those are relative pronouns, word order, manual and non-manual markers. There are two relative pronouns in DGS, one is used for human referents and the other for non-human referents. The relative pronoun for humans is realized with B -handshape (also a classifier handshape for humans in DGS), while the relative pronoun for non-human entities has H -handshape. Relative pronouns are accompanied with eyebrow raise, which is also used to mark topics in DGS [Pragmatics 4.3.2.]. These pronouns are not marked for number and can agree with loci associated with the referents they co-refer with. The examples of relative pronouns in DGS are given below.
re
a. man ix3a ix(B) cat stroke beautiful
‘The man, who is stroking the cat, is handsome’
(based on Pfau & Steinbach, 2005: 512)
re
b. book ix(H) poss1father read interesting
‘The book, which my father reads, is interesting.’
(based on Pfau & Steinbach, 2005: 512)