Does innovation need reanalysis?
-
Hendrik De Smet
Abstract
Syntactic reanalysis has been claimed to be the only mechanism capable of explaining syntactic change. However, the concept of syntactic reanalysis is flawed. It insufficiently accommodates gradience in synchronic grammar and in language change, and depends too heavily on ambiguity as a cause of change. Alternative mechanisms exist to account for innovation that do not suffer from these problems. At the same time, the problem of explaining syntactic innovations is partly tied to models of language that overstate the role of syntax. Part of the problem therefore disappears under different theoretical starting assumptions.
Abstract
Syntactic reanalysis has been claimed to be the only mechanism capable of explaining syntactic change. However, the concept of syntactic reanalysis is flawed. It insufficiently accommodates gradience in synchronic grammar and in language change, and depends too heavily on ambiguity as a cause of change. Alternative mechanisms exist to account for innovation that do not suffer from these problems. At the same time, the problem of explaining syntactic innovations is partly tied to models of language that overstate the role of syntax. Part of the problem therefore disappears under different theoretical starting assumptions.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction. The role of change in usage-based conceptions of language 1
-
Part 1. Challenging mainstream models of language change
- Does innovation need reanalysis? 23
- On cognition and communication in usage-based models of language change 49
-
Part 2. The role of usage in semantic change
- From inferential to mirative 83
- The motivation for using English suspended dangling participles 117
- The nature of speaker creativity in linguistic innovation 147
-
Part 3. The role of usage and structure in language change
- Reanalysis and gramma(ticaliza)tion of constructions 169
- Constructional change, paradigmatic structure and the orientation of usage processes 203
- Filling empty distinctions of expression with content 243
- Author index 271
- Subject index 273
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction. The role of change in usage-based conceptions of language 1
-
Part 1. Challenging mainstream models of language change
- Does innovation need reanalysis? 23
- On cognition and communication in usage-based models of language change 49
-
Part 2. The role of usage in semantic change
- From inferential to mirative 83
- The motivation for using English suspended dangling participles 117
- The nature of speaker creativity in linguistic innovation 147
-
Part 3. The role of usage and structure in language change
- Reanalysis and gramma(ticaliza)tion of constructions 169
- Constructional change, paradigmatic structure and the orientation of usage processes 203
- Filling empty distinctions of expression with content 243
- Author index 271
- Subject index 273
