Two types of left-dislocation in Old English
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Artur Bartnik
Abstract
This paper examines two types of left-dislocated structures in Old English: contrastive left-dislocation (CLD) and hanging topic left-dislocation (HTLD). As reported in the literature, the constructions show differences with respect to three properties: the type of the resumptive pronoun (demonstrative or personal pronoun), case (the same or different case of the resumptive and dislocated phrase) and position (low or high position of the resumptive pronoun). It is argued that only the first property – the type of the resumptive pronoun – clearly differentiates the two types in Old English, whereas the other two characteristics are problematic. Some additional support for the CLD/HTLD division is provided by discourse analysis.
Abstract
This paper examines two types of left-dislocated structures in Old English: contrastive left-dislocation (CLD) and hanging topic left-dislocation (HTLD). As reported in the literature, the constructions show differences with respect to three properties: the type of the resumptive pronoun (demonstrative or personal pronoun), case (the same or different case of the resumptive and dislocated phrase) and position (low or high position of the resumptive pronoun). It is argued that only the first property – the type of the resumptive pronoun – clearly differentiates the two types in Old English, whereas the other two characteristics are problematic. Some additional support for the CLD/HTLD division is provided by discourse analysis.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Foreword vii
- Introduction 1
-
Part I. Syntax and word order
- Parataxis and hypotaxis in the history of English 10
- Two types of left-dislocation in Old English 34
- Subject-verb agreement and the rise of do -support in the period of anglicisation of Scots 53
-
Part II. Diachronic linguistic change
- A modern light on diachronic processes affecting coda /l/ in English 82
- Modality and the English subjunctive in noun clauses 103
- Some philological implications of punctuation in editions of Middle English texts 120
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Part III. Lexicography and lexis
- The unfinished double glosses in Durham Cathedral Library, MS A.iv.19 144
- Early modern manuscripts containing Old English dictionaries in England and northern Germany 166
- Loss of wiþer -words in English 191
- Investigating the dynamics of the lexicon 212
- Index 233
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Foreword vii
- Introduction 1
-
Part I. Syntax and word order
- Parataxis and hypotaxis in the history of English 10
- Two types of left-dislocation in Old English 34
- Subject-verb agreement and the rise of do -support in the period of anglicisation of Scots 53
-
Part II. Diachronic linguistic change
- A modern light on diachronic processes affecting coda /l/ in English 82
- Modality and the English subjunctive in noun clauses 103
- Some philological implications of punctuation in editions of Middle English texts 120
-
Part III. Lexicography and lexis
- The unfinished double glosses in Durham Cathedral Library, MS A.iv.19 144
- Early modern manuscripts containing Old English dictionaries in England and northern Germany 166
- Loss of wiþer -words in English 191
- Investigating the dynamics of the lexicon 212
- Index 233
