The diachrony of pronouns and demonstratives
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Elly van Gelderen
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
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
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Scandinavian
- On the syntax of the accusative/dative alternation in spatial PPs in Norwegian dative dialects 9
- Spurious topic drop in Swedish 27
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Germanic sociolinguistics
- “The voice from below” 53
- Gender maintenance and loss in Totenmålet, English, and other major Germanic varieties 77
-
French
- Non-finite adjuncts in French 111
- Topics and the left periphery 131
-
Language change
- The developmental logic of the analytic past in German and Polish 175
- The diachrony of pronouns and demonstratives 195
-
Lesser-studied languages
- Origins of metathesis in Batsbi 221
- Indefinitely definite expressions 239
-
Language acquisition
- Doing diachrony 259
- The acquisition of linguistic variation 275
-
Language evolution
- The evolution of language 301
- Language as technology 327
- Index 359
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Scandinavian
- On the syntax of the accusative/dative alternation in spatial PPs in Norwegian dative dialects 9
- Spurious topic drop in Swedish 27
-
Germanic sociolinguistics
- “The voice from below” 53
- Gender maintenance and loss in Totenmålet, English, and other major Germanic varieties 77
-
French
- Non-finite adjuncts in French 111
- Topics and the left periphery 131
-
Language change
- The developmental logic of the analytic past in German and Polish 175
- The diachrony of pronouns and demonstratives 195
-
Lesser-studied languages
- Origins of metathesis in Batsbi 221
- Indefinitely definite expressions 239
-
Language acquisition
- Doing diachrony 259
- The acquisition of linguistic variation 275
-
Language evolution
- The evolution of language 301
- Language as technology 327
- Index 359
