Functional changes and (meta-)linguistic evolution
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Ferdinand von Mengden
Abstract
In this contribution I assess some mainstream approaches to functional changes of grammatical expressions with a focus on two concepts – ‘(secondary) grammaticalization’ and ‘exaptation’. As to the former, I argue that the most influential definition of ‘grammaticalization’ by Kuryłowicz’s (1965) results from a terminological accident rather than from a systematic observation or analysis of linguistic changes. The consequence is that various heterogeneous properties are nowadays associated with one and the same concept. Generally, ‘grammaticalization’ as well as other functional changes discussed in the literature are defined by the status of an expression before and after a change, not by the process itself. On this basis, I will argue that ‘exaptation’ is a concept distinct from other mainstream notions of language change, provided that the context of ‘evolution’ as a principle of variation and change, out of which ‘exaptation’ was brought into linguistics, is taken seriously.
Abstract
In this contribution I assess some mainstream approaches to functional changes of grammatical expressions with a focus on two concepts – ‘(secondary) grammaticalization’ and ‘exaptation’. As to the former, I argue that the most influential definition of ‘grammaticalization’ by Kuryłowicz’s (1965) results from a terminological accident rather than from a systematic observation or analysis of linguistic changes. The consequence is that various heterogeneous properties are nowadays associated with one and the same concept. Generally, ‘grammaticalization’ as well as other functional changes discussed in the literature are defined by the status of an expression before and after a change, not by the process itself. On this basis, I will argue that ‘exaptation’ is a concept distinct from other mainstream notions of language change, provided that the context of ‘evolution’ as a principle of variation and change, out of which ‘exaptation’ was brought into linguistics, is taken seriously.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Exaptation 1
- Being exacting about exapting 37
- Co-opting exaptation in a theory of language change 57
- Exaptation in Japanese and beyond 93
- Functional changes and (meta-)linguistic evolution 121
- Exaptation from the perspective of construction morphology 163
- Exaptation and degrammaticalization within an acquisition-based model of abductive reanalysis 197
- Allogenous exaptation 227
- How functionless is junk and how useful is exaptation? 261
- The history of nominative -er in Danish and Swedish 287
- Is the development of linking elements in German a case of exaptation? 317
- Exploring and recycling 341
- Exaptation and adaptation 377
- Language index 403
- Subject index 407
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Exaptation 1
- Being exacting about exapting 37
- Co-opting exaptation in a theory of language change 57
- Exaptation in Japanese and beyond 93
- Functional changes and (meta-)linguistic evolution 121
- Exaptation from the perspective of construction morphology 163
- Exaptation and degrammaticalization within an acquisition-based model of abductive reanalysis 197
- Allogenous exaptation 227
- How functionless is junk and how useful is exaptation? 261
- The history of nominative -er in Danish and Swedish 287
- Is the development of linking elements in German a case of exaptation? 317
- Exploring and recycling 341
- Exaptation and adaptation 377
- Language index 403
- Subject index 407
