11.3.2.1.2 Differences in restrictive and non-restrictive rel. clauses

Depending on the type of relative clause, also the meaning of a sentence can change:

Examples
restriktive relative clause
Les hommes qui fument trop deviennent malade.
  The men that smoke too much get sick.
  meaning: Those men who smoke get sick.
non-restrictive relative clause
Les hommes, qui fument trop, deviennent malade.
  Men, who smoke too much, get sick.
  meaning: Men, who (always) smoke too much, get sick. [all men smoke and all get sick]
restriktive relative clause
Les enfants qui ne font jamais ce qu' on leur demande courent le risque de se faire mal.
  The children who never do, what they are told run the risk to hurt themselves.
meaning: Only those children who never do, what they are told, run the risk to hurt themselves.
non-restrictive relative clause
  Les enfants, qui ne font jamais ce qu' on leur demande, courent le risque de se faire mal.
  Les enfants, lesquels ne font jamais ce qu' on leur demande, courent le risque de se faire mal.
  Children, who never do, what they are told run the risk to hurt themselves.
meaning: All children never do, what they are told and all run the risk to hurt themselves.






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