Home Linguistics & Semiotics Patterns of regularisation in British, American and Indian English
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Patterns of regularisation in British, American and Indian English

A closer look at irregular verbs with t/ed variation
  • Bernard De Clerck and Klaar Vanopstal
View more publications by John Benjamins Publishing Company
Search
Grammatical Change in English World-Wide
This chapter is in the book Grammatical Change in English World-Wide

Abstract

This paper explores ongoing processes of verb regularisation (see Lieberman et al. 2007) in British, American and Indian English in a selection of thirteen verbs that allow both irregular (t) and regular (ed) forms. We examine the extent to which inter- and intra-varietal differences reflect the status of Indian English as a ‘semi-autonomous’ variety (Mukherjee 2007), using synchronic and diachronic data. We seek explanations for internal variation via consideration of the impact of frequency and vowel change on retention. The results reveal unique patterns for Indian English: while there is no clear link between frequency and retention, regularisation does tend to occur more in cases without vowel change. Keywords: verb regularisation; Indian English; corpus linguistics; language variation and change

Abstract

This paper explores ongoing processes of verb regularisation (see Lieberman et al. 2007) in British, American and Indian English in a selection of thirteen verbs that allow both irregular (t) and regular (ed) forms. We examine the extent to which inter- and intra-varietal differences reflect the status of Indian English as a ‘semi-autonomous’ variety (Mukherjee 2007), using synchronic and diachronic data. We seek explanations for internal variation via consideration of the impact of frequency and vowel change on retention. The results reveal unique patterns for Indian English: while there is no clear link between frequency and retention, regularisation does tend to occur more in cases without vowel change. Keywords: verb regularisation; Indian English; corpus linguistics; language variation and change

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. PART 1. Inner Circle Englishes
  5. Diachronic variation in the grammar of Australian English 15
  6. At the crossroads of change 43
  7. Do -support in early New Zealand and Australian English 65
  8. The progressive in Irish English 87
  9. Cross-variety diachronic drifts and ephemeral regional contrasts 119
  10. Passives of so-called ‘ditransitives’ in nineteenth century and present-day Canadian English 147
  11. Dual adverbs in Australian English 179
  12. The evolution of epistemic marking in West Australian English 205
  13. May and might in nineteenth century Irish English and English English 221
  14. The present perfect and the preterite in Australian English 247
  15. PART 2. Outer Circle Englishes
  16. Recent diachronic change in the progressive in Philippine English 271
  17. Linguistic change in a multilingual setting 297
  18. Patterns of regularisation in British, American and Indian English 335
  19. An apparent time study of the progressive in Nigerian English 373
  20. American influence on written Caribbean English 389
  21. Cultural keywords in context 411
  22. Recent quantitative changes in the use of modals and quasi-modals in the Hong Kong, British and American printed press 437
  23. The development of an extended time period meaning of the progressive in Black South African English 465
  24. Index 485
https://doi.org/10.1075/scl.67.14dec

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. PART 1. Inner Circle Englishes
  5. Diachronic variation in the grammar of Australian English 15
  6. At the crossroads of change 43
  7. Do -support in early New Zealand and Australian English 65
  8. The progressive in Irish English 87
  9. Cross-variety diachronic drifts and ephemeral regional contrasts 119
  10. Passives of so-called ‘ditransitives’ in nineteenth century and present-day Canadian English 147
  11. Dual adverbs in Australian English 179
  12. The evolution of epistemic marking in West Australian English 205
  13. May and might in nineteenth century Irish English and English English 221
  14. The present perfect and the preterite in Australian English 247
  15. PART 2. Outer Circle Englishes
  16. Recent diachronic change in the progressive in Philippine English 271
  17. Linguistic change in a multilingual setting 297
  18. Patterns of regularisation in British, American and Indian English 335
  19. An apparent time study of the progressive in Nigerian English 373
  20. American influence on written Caribbean English 389
  21. Cultural keywords in context 411
  22. Recent quantitative changes in the use of modals and quasi-modals in the Hong Kong, British and American printed press 437
  23. The development of an extended time period meaning of the progressive in Black South African English 465
  24. Index 485
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 9.9.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1075/scl.67.14dec/pdf
Scroll to top button