DMW

A DMW (Dependent Marker Word) is a word that begins or marks out a dependent clause.  Consider this clause:

Jim drove his car over the bridge.

This is just a simple independent clause; but when a DMW is added to it, it becomes a dependent clause.

When Jim drove his car over the bridge…

The word “when” is a DMW and makes this clause dependent. It is called “dependent” because it must be attached to an independent clause in order for it to function as a complete thought (it is dependent on an independent clause).  There are two kinds of DMWs:

  1. subordinating conjunctions, and
  2. relative pronouns.

The important point is this:

Here is a list of common subordinating conjunctions:
after, although, if, unless, as, inasmuch, until, as if, in order that, when, as long as, lest, whenever, as much as, now that, where, as soon as, provided (that), wherever, as though, since, while, because, so that, before, than, even if, that, how, till ( or ’til), even though, though
There are only six relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, which, that, what. You can also add “-ever?” to some of these and they are still relative pronouns; e.g. whoever, whichever, etc.

In Greek, οτι is a common DMW.

In Hebrew, אשר and כי are common DMWs.

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