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Chapter 11. Grammatical borrowing and language change

The dutchification of Frisian
  • Germen J. de Haan
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Studies in West Frisian Grammar
This chapter is in the book Studies in West Frisian Grammar

Abstract

In this paper we would like to address the very old problem of grammatical borrowing. We will discuss this problem within the context of minority language studies. Is it possible that the grammatical system of a minority language changes by borrowing grammatical elements and/or grammatical principles from the dominant language? It seems to be natural to take the dutchification of Frisian as an example. Three cases of grammatical borrowing of Frisian from Dutch that have been proposed in the literature will be critically discussed: 1. the borrowing of verbal endings that is supposed to be responsible for transition of verbs from the -je class to the -e class; 2. the transition of the diminutive suffix -ke to -tsje; 3. changes in the word order of the Frisian verbal complex. We will argue that the grammatical system of Frisian does not dutchify. Furthermore this examination gives rise to some general conclusions concerning the ways in which minority languages can and cannot be influenced by dominant languages.

Abstract

In this paper we would like to address the very old problem of grammatical borrowing. We will discuss this problem within the context of minority language studies. Is it possible that the grammatical system of a minority language changes by borrowing grammatical elements and/or grammatical principles from the dominant language? It seems to be natural to take the dutchification of Frisian as an example. Three cases of grammatical borrowing of Frisian from Dutch that have been proposed in the literature will be critically discussed: 1. the borrowing of verbal endings that is supposed to be responsible for transition of verbs from the -je class to the -e class; 2. the transition of the diminutive suffix -ke to -tsje; 3. changes in the word order of the Frisian verbal complex. We will argue that the grammatical system of Frisian does not dutchify. Furthermore this examination gives rise to some general conclusions concerning the ways in which minority languages can and cannot be influenced by dominant languages.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Chapter 1. Recent trends in Frisian linguistics 11
  5. Chapter 2. Why Old Frisian is really Middle Frisian 25
  6. Chapter 3. Syntax of Old Frisian 47
  7. Chapter 4. Finiteness and verb fronting 63
  8. Chapter 5. More is going on upstairs than downstairs 99
  9. Chapter 6. The Imperativus-pro-Infinitivo 131
  10. Chapter 7. Two infinitives 153
  11. Chapter 8. The verbal complex 165
  12. Chapter 9. The third construction 199
  13. Chapter 10. Complementizer agreement 215
  14. Chapter 11. Grammatical borrowing and language change 233
  15. Chapter 12. Frisian language changes 251
  16. Chapter 13. Recent changes in the verbal complex of Frisian 265
  17. Chapter 14. Contact-induced changes in Modern West Frisian 275
  18. Chapter 15. On the (in-)stability of Frisian 301
  19. Chapter 16. Nasalization and lengthening 317
  20. Chapter 17. Monophthongs and syllable structure 331
  21. Chapter 18. A lexical theory of schwa-deletion 341
  22. References 357
  23. Acknowledgements 379
  24. Index 381
https://doi.org/10.1075/la.161.11gra

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Chapter 1. Recent trends in Frisian linguistics 11
  5. Chapter 2. Why Old Frisian is really Middle Frisian 25
  6. Chapter 3. Syntax of Old Frisian 47
  7. Chapter 4. Finiteness and verb fronting 63
  8. Chapter 5. More is going on upstairs than downstairs 99
  9. Chapter 6. The Imperativus-pro-Infinitivo 131
  10. Chapter 7. Two infinitives 153
  11. Chapter 8. The verbal complex 165
  12. Chapter 9. The third construction 199
  13. Chapter 10. Complementizer agreement 215
  14. Chapter 11. Grammatical borrowing and language change 233
  15. Chapter 12. Frisian language changes 251
  16. Chapter 13. Recent changes in the verbal complex of Frisian 265
  17. Chapter 14. Contact-induced changes in Modern West Frisian 275
  18. Chapter 15. On the (in-)stability of Frisian 301
  19. Chapter 16. Nasalization and lengthening 317
  20. Chapter 17. Monophthongs and syllable structure 331
  21. Chapter 18. A lexical theory of schwa-deletion 341
  22. References 357
  23. Acknowledgements 379
  24. Index 381
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