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Andersen (1973) and dichotomies of change

  • Hope C. Dawson and Brian D. Joseph
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Perspectives on Language Structure and Language Change
This chapter is in the book Perspectives on Language Structure and Language Change

Abstract

Henning Andersen in his well-known and oft-cited (1973) article “Abductive and deductive change” (language 49(4).765–793) distinguishes two types of language change: evolutive change – defined as “change entirely explainable in terms of the linguistic system that gave rise to it” – and adaptive change – defined as “a change not explainable without reference to factors outside the linguistic system in question”. In this paper, we present an overview of the evolutive versus adaptive dichotomy in Andersen’s work and the role this dichotomy has played in the field in ensuing years. While this particular terminology has never taken a central role in discussions of these issues, the terms are still in some use, and the field as a whole has seen a proliferation of various terms focusing on this and similar dichotomies.

Abstract

Henning Andersen in his well-known and oft-cited (1973) article “Abductive and deductive change” (language 49(4).765–793) distinguishes two types of language change: evolutive change – defined as “change entirely explainable in terms of the linguistic system that gave rise to it” – and adaptive change – defined as “a change not explainable without reference to factors outside the linguistic system in question”. In this paper, we present an overview of the evolutive versus adaptive dichotomy in Andersen’s work and the role this dichotomy has played in the field in ensuing years. While this particular terminology has never taken a central role in discussions of these issues, the terms are still in some use, and the field as a whole has seen a proliferation of various terms focusing on this and similar dichotomies.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface ix
  4. Perspectives on language structure and language change 1
  5. Part I. On the theory of language change
  6. Andersen (1973) and dichotomies of change 13
  7. Induction and tradition 35
  8. Approaching the typology and diachrony of morphological reversals 81
  9. Deconstructing markedness in sound change typology 107
  10. Part II. Indexicality
  11. Diachronic morphology, indexical function and a critique of the morphome analysis 125
  12. Word order as grammaticalised semiotic systems 151
  13. Part III. Problems of reanalysis
  14. Anticausative and passive in Vedic 181
  15. Grammaticalization and degrammati(calizati)on in the development of the Iranian verb system 193
  16. Aspects of grammaticalization and reanalysis in the voice domain in the transition from Latin to early Italo-Romance 205
  17. From preverbal to postverbal in the early history of Japanese 233
  18. Reanalysis in the Russian past tense 253
  19. From a single lexical unit to multiple grammatical paradigms 271
  20. Morphosyntactic reanalysis in Australian languages 295
  21. Definiteness in Germanic and Balto-Slavic 311
  22. Part IV. Actualization
  23. Diatopy and frequency as indicators of spread 327
  24. Suppletion or illusion? 345
  25. Part V. Language change and diachronic typology in Balto-Slavic
  26. A complicated relationship 359
  27. Name-calling 381
  28. Changes of tense and modality in Late Mediaeval Slovene 395
  29. Index 411
https://doi.org/10.1075/cilt.345.01jos

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface ix
  4. Perspectives on language structure and language change 1
  5. Part I. On the theory of language change
  6. Andersen (1973) and dichotomies of change 13
  7. Induction and tradition 35
  8. Approaching the typology and diachrony of morphological reversals 81
  9. Deconstructing markedness in sound change typology 107
  10. Part II. Indexicality
  11. Diachronic morphology, indexical function and a critique of the morphome analysis 125
  12. Word order as grammaticalised semiotic systems 151
  13. Part III. Problems of reanalysis
  14. Anticausative and passive in Vedic 181
  15. Grammaticalization and degrammati(calizati)on in the development of the Iranian verb system 193
  16. Aspects of grammaticalization and reanalysis in the voice domain in the transition from Latin to early Italo-Romance 205
  17. From preverbal to postverbal in the early history of Japanese 233
  18. Reanalysis in the Russian past tense 253
  19. From a single lexical unit to multiple grammatical paradigms 271
  20. Morphosyntactic reanalysis in Australian languages 295
  21. Definiteness in Germanic and Balto-Slavic 311
  22. Part IV. Actualization
  23. Diatopy and frequency as indicators of spread 327
  24. Suppletion or illusion? 345
  25. Part V. Language change and diachronic typology in Balto-Slavic
  26. A complicated relationship 359
  27. Name-calling 381
  28. Changes of tense and modality in Late Mediaeval Slovene 395
  29. Index 411
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