John Benjamins Publishing Company
Non-Dravidian elements and (non)diasystematic change in Malayalam
Abstract
This chapter applies a Diasystematic Construction Grammar (DCxG) approach to account for non-Dravidian vocabulary and phonology in Malayalam, a high-contact Dravidian language. The distinction made in DCxG between diaconstructions, which are language non-specific, and idioconstructions, which are language-specific, proves useful in accounting for semantic specialization and phonological heterogeneity due to language contact. Notably, increased contact with English has led in some cases to decreased phonological adaptation, as some constructions change from diaconstructions to idioconstructions: Non-diasystematic change. Taken together, this chapter argues that any analysis of Malayalam must account for non-Dravidian subpatterns, and including language labels as part of speakers’ linguistic knowledge enhances our understanding of the dynamics of language contact.
Abstract
This chapter applies a Diasystematic Construction Grammar (DCxG) approach to account for non-Dravidian vocabulary and phonology in Malayalam, a high-contact Dravidian language. The distinction made in DCxG between diaconstructions, which are language non-specific, and idioconstructions, which are language-specific, proves useful in accounting for semantic specialization and phonological heterogeneity due to language contact. Notably, increased contact with English has led in some cases to decreased phonological adaptation, as some constructions change from diaconstructions to idioconstructions: Non-diasystematic change. Taken together, this chapter argues that any analysis of Malayalam must account for non-Dravidian subpatterns, and including language labels as part of speakers’ linguistic knowledge enhances our understanding of the dynamics of language contact.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Widening the scope 1
-
Section 1. Constructions in multilingual practices
- Idioconstructions in conflict 17
- “Ok, qui d’autre na, nobody on the line right now?” 55
- Cognitive models of language contact 81
-
Section 2. Constructional change in language contact
- A Diasystematic Construction Grammar analysis of language change in the Afrikaans and English finite verb complement clause construction 109
- The Spanish verb-particle construction [V para atrás ] 139
-
Section 3. Language contact between typologically different languages
- Non-Dravidian elements and (non)diasystematic change in Malayalam 191
- Making one’s way in Welsh 233
- From letters to families 267
-
Section 4. Multilingual constructions in language acquisition
- Additional language acquisition as emerging multilingualism 309
- Something I was dealing with 339
- Intensifying constructions in second language acquisition 375
- Author Index 429
- Construction Index 431
- Language Index 433
- Subject Index 435
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Widening the scope 1
-
Section 1. Constructions in multilingual practices
- Idioconstructions in conflict 17
- “Ok, qui d’autre na, nobody on the line right now?” 55
- Cognitive models of language contact 81
-
Section 2. Constructional change in language contact
- A Diasystematic Construction Grammar analysis of language change in the Afrikaans and English finite verb complement clause construction 109
- The Spanish verb-particle construction [V para atrás ] 139
-
Section 3. Language contact between typologically different languages
- Non-Dravidian elements and (non)diasystematic change in Malayalam 191
- Making one’s way in Welsh 233
- From letters to families 267
-
Section 4. Multilingual constructions in language acquisition
- Additional language acquisition as emerging multilingualism 309
- Something I was dealing with 339
- Intensifying constructions in second language acquisition 375
- Author Index 429
- Construction Index 431
- Language Index 433
- Subject Index 435
