family's low income<which/what>can't support them

[amanda_45]

Which one is correct in the blank space?and why?(I wrote this sentence and I doubt about it.)

--->One of reasons of working(?) women can be family's low income ----- can't support them so both parents are forced to work.
1) which
2) what
3)others....(please mention!)

 

[Greyfriar]

Hello,

'One of the reasons why women work can be the family's low income which can't support them, so both parents are forced to work.'

 

[amanda_45]

Hello,

'One of the reasons why women work can be the family's low income which can't support them, so both parents are forced to work.'

why <what> is wrong?

 

[velisarius]

I think you mean that the choice is between the relative pronouns "which" and "that". In this sentence you need to use "which" because "...,which can't support them,..." is a non-restrictive relative clause.

 

[Greyfriar]

Hello,

We avoid using 'what' - 'the family's low income what can't support them' is only said by badly educated people of a lower socio-economic group.

This is a discussion which comes up frequently on the forum. I will try to locate some earlier threads for you.

 

[Greyfriar]

Hello,

I could only find one old thread at present; Unfortunately the member didn't reply to my post.


Be assured, you need to use 'which'.

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=2864224&highlight=what

 

[Cagey]

You need a relative pronoun to introduce a clause that modifies a noun or pronoun that is earlier in the sentence.
(See relative, definition #7.)

What is not a relative pronoun so it cannot introduce the clause modifying the family's low income: [---] can't support them.

Which is a relative pronoun so it may be used here: which can't support them.

Note: You may hear English speakers using 'what' in constructions like this. It is a dialectical use, especially associated with rural speech, and sometimes used in movies for that reason. However, to most people it sounds like an error and should not be imitated.