zazzex“
How can we combine two sentences with a relative pronoun clause?
Await him
We don't know who he is
Something like " Await him who we don't know who he is"?
”
I assume you already know the correct procedure for combining pairs of sentences in this way. However, note that not all pairs of sentences can be combined naturally using a relative clause. Specifically, a sentence in which the element to be pronomialized is buried in a subordinate noun clause is impossible to combine in this way -- with few exceptions.
In the case at hand, the he in the second sentence is the element to be pronomialized. (It becomes who.) Applying the usual procedure creates an ungrammatical nonsense sentence.
*Await him who we don't know who is.
_____
Here are other examples where the usual procedure for combining sentences using a relative clause absolutely does not work. Ungrammatical nonsense sentences are generated in every case because the element to be pronomialized is buried in a subordinate noun clause. The element to be pronomialized is underlined and the subordinate noun clause is placed in parentheses for your convenience in analyzing these anomalous cases.
I heard about it.
I have no idea (what it looks like).
> *I heard about it which I have no idea what looks like.
___
Lucy found them.
Nobody saw (what they were).
> *Lucy found them which nobody saw what were.
___
Marian didn't mail the letter.
Larry didn't know (why the letter was on the table).
> *Marian didn't mail the letter which Larry didn't know why was on the table.
CJ