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The diachrony of pronouns and demonstratives

Abstract

This paper provides a description and account of some of the changes involving the DP, namely anaphoric marking in English (and Scandinavian). I argue that Old English personal pronouns are not deictic/referential but that demonstrative pronouns have this function. This situation reverses itself in early Middle English, due to both internal and external factors. The internal factors are the shift towards the use of demonstratives before noun, i.e. the introduction of an article; the external factors are language contact that introduces new personal pronouns. I also look at Old Norse where the use of pronouns and demonstratives is similar to that in Old English. This remains the case to a lesser degree in its modern descendants.

Abstract

This paper provides a description and account of some of the changes involving the DP, namely anaphoric marking in English (and Scandinavian). I argue that Old English personal pronouns are not deictic/referential but that demonstrative pronouns have this function. This situation reverses itself in early Middle English, due to both internal and external factors. The internal factors are the shift towards the use of demonstratives before noun, i.e. the introduction of an article; the external factors are language contact that introduces new personal pronouns. I also look at Old Norse where the use of pronouns and demonstratives is similar to that in Old English. This remains the case to a lesser degree in its modern descendants.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Scandinavian
  5. On the syntax of the accusative/dative alternation in spatial PPs in Norwegian dative dialects 9
  6. Spurious topic drop in Swedish 27
  7. Germanic sociolinguistics
  8. “The voice from below” 53
  9. Gender maintenance and loss in Totenmålet, English, and other major Germanic varieties 77
  10. French
  11. Non-finite adjuncts in French 111
  12. Topics and the left periphery 131
  13. Language change
  14. The developmental logic of the analytic past in German and Polish 175
  15. The diachrony of pronouns and demonstratives 195
  16. Lesser-studied languages
  17. Origins of metathesis in Batsbi 221
  18. Indefinitely definite expressions 239
  19. Language acquisition
  20. Doing diachrony 259
  21. The acquisition of linguistic variation 275
  22. Language evolution
  23. The evolution of language 301
  24. Language as technology 327
  25. Index 359
In Search of Universal Grammar
This chapter is in the book In Search of Universal Grammar
https://doi.org/10.1075/la.202.13gel

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Scandinavian
  5. On the syntax of the accusative/dative alternation in spatial PPs in Norwegian dative dialects 9
  6. Spurious topic drop in Swedish 27
  7. Germanic sociolinguistics
  8. “The voice from below” 53
  9. Gender maintenance and loss in Totenmålet, English, and other major Germanic varieties 77
  10. French
  11. Non-finite adjuncts in French 111
  12. Topics and the left periphery 131
  13. Language change
  14. The developmental logic of the analytic past in German and Polish 175
  15. The diachrony of pronouns and demonstratives 195
  16. Lesser-studied languages
  17. Origins of metathesis in Batsbi 221
  18. Indefinitely definite expressions 239
  19. Language acquisition
  20. Doing diachrony 259
  21. The acquisition of linguistic variation 275
  22. Language evolution
  23. The evolution of language 301
  24. Language as technology 327
  25. Index 359
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