Stability and convergence in case marking
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Kristian Berg
Abstract
In Modern Low German, there are signs for a newly emerging dative case under Standard German influence. The present paper analyzes this case of potential convergence, concentrating on definite articles of neuter gender. Methodologically, a new corpus of spontaneous speech is used, alongside the established Zwirner corpus from the middle of the last century. It turns out that full forms of the definite article are rather stable – they retain the old Low German two-way case system and thus defy convergence. Reduced forms, on the other hand, do converge towards Standard German. Here, distinct dative forms are dominant. This is in line with older findings about the decline of the old dative case in Middle Low German.
Abstract
In Modern Low German, there are signs for a newly emerging dative case under Standard German influence. The present paper analyzes this case of potential convergence, concentrating on definite articles of neuter gender. Methodologically, a new corpus of spontaneous speech is used, alongside the established Zwirner corpus from the middle of the last century. It turns out that full forms of the definite article are rather stable – they retain the old Low German two-way case system and thus defy convergence. Reduced forms, on the other hand, do converge towards Standard German. Here, distinct dative forms are dominant. This is in line with older findings about the decline of the old dative case in Middle Low German.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Part I: Theoretical aspects
- Linguistic stability and divergence 13
- Convergence vs. divergence from a diasystematic perspective 39
-
Part II: Empirical studies
- Stability and convergence in case marking 63
- Towards a typological classification of Judeo-Spanish 77
- Despite or because of intensive contact? 109
- Stability in Chinese and Malay heritage languages as a source of divergence 141
- Does convergence generate stability? 163
- Gender and noun inflection 179
- Dialect stability and divergence in southern Spain 207
- The Bergen dialect splits in two 239
- Diachronic convergence and divergence in differential object marking between Spanish and Portuguese 265
- Person index 291
- Subject index 295
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Part I: Theoretical aspects
- Linguistic stability and divergence 13
- Convergence vs. divergence from a diasystematic perspective 39
-
Part II: Empirical studies
- Stability and convergence in case marking 63
- Towards a typological classification of Judeo-Spanish 77
- Despite or because of intensive contact? 109
- Stability in Chinese and Malay heritage languages as a source of divergence 141
- Does convergence generate stability? 163
- Gender and noun inflection 179
- Dialect stability and divergence in southern Spain 207
- The Bergen dialect splits in two 239
- Diachronic convergence and divergence in differential object marking between Spanish and Portuguese 265
- Person index 291
- Subject index 295
