An inquiry into unidirectionality as a foundational element of grammaticalization
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Olga Fischer
Abstract
This paper assumes that in order to explain rather than describe language change, historical linguists should not only consider what happens diachronically at the language output level but also, crucially, what speaker-listeners do at the processing level. The reason for this is that the structure of the language is shaped by the properties of the neurolinguistic mechanism underlying both language use and language learning. It will be argued that analogy as an important principle in grammar formation is the main mechanism in grammaticalization and in change in general when looked at from a processing point of view. The paper discusses the workings of analogy in a number of cases in the history of English which have traditionally been interpreted as unidirectional cases of grammaticalization . It will be shown instead that multiple source constructions were involved, which influenced one another and thus gave direction to the change.
Abstract
This paper assumes that in order to explain rather than describe language change, historical linguists should not only consider what happens diachronically at the language output level but also, crucially, what speaker-listeners do at the processing level. The reason for this is that the structure of the language is shaped by the properties of the neurolinguistic mechanism underlying both language use and language learning. It will be argued that analogy as an important principle in grammar formation is the main mechanism in grammaticalization and in change in general when looked at from a processing point of view. The paper discusses the workings of analogy in a number of cases in the history of English which have traditionally been interpreted as unidirectional cases of grammaticalization . It will be shown instead that multiple source constructions were involved, which influenced one another and thus gave direction to the change.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
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Introduction
- On multiple source constructions in language change 1
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Articles
- Multiple inheritance and constructional change 19
- An inquiry into unidirectionality as a foundational element of grammaticalization 43
- Serving two masters 63
- Multiple sources for the German scandal construction 95
- Sources of auxiliation in the perfects of Europe 129
- Multiple roots of innovations in language contact 175
- Multiple sources and multiple causes multiply explored 205
- Subject index 223
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
-
Introduction
- On multiple source constructions in language change 1
-
Articles
- Multiple inheritance and constructional change 19
- An inquiry into unidirectionality as a foundational element of grammaticalization 43
- Serving two masters 63
- Multiple sources for the German scandal construction 95
- Sources of auxiliation in the perfects of Europe 129
- Multiple roots of innovations in language contact 175
- Multiple sources and multiple causes multiply explored 205
- Subject index 223
