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The development of case in Germanic

Abstract

In this article five existing explanations for the loss of case morphology in the Germanic languages are examined. These are (1) phonological erosion, (2) a change from synthetic to analytic language type, (3) a change from free to fixed word order, (4) the development of the definite article, and (5) a change from lexical to structural case. All five explanations are rejected in favor of (6) a usage-based constructional approach where the breakdown of the case system is expected on the basis of the fact that the argument structure constructions are partially synonymous. Hence, it is predicted that the case and argument structure constructions will either merge, with subsequent loss of case distinctions and case morphology, or that high type frequency constructions will attract new verbs and verbs from low type frequency constructions, gradually causing them to fall into disuse. English, Mainland Scandinavian and Dutch have taken the former path, while German, Icelandic and Faroese have developed along the latter.

Abstract

In this article five existing explanations for the loss of case morphology in the Germanic languages are examined. These are (1) phonological erosion, (2) a change from synthetic to analytic language type, (3) a change from free to fixed word order, (4) the development of the definite article, and (5) a change from lexical to structural case. All five explanations are rejected in favor of (6) a usage-based constructional approach where the breakdown of the case system is expected on the basis of the fact that the argument structure constructions are partially synonymous. Hence, it is predicted that the case and argument structure constructions will either merge, with subsequent loss of case distinctions and case morphology, or that high type frequency constructions will attract new verbs and verbs from low type frequency constructions, gradually causing them to fall into disuse. English, Mainland Scandinavian and Dutch have taken the former path, while German, Icelandic and Faroese have developed along the latter.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of contributors vii
  4. Introduction: The role of semantic, pragmatic and discourse factors in the development of case ix
  5. Part I. Semantically and aspectually motivated synchronic case variation
  6. Case variation in Gothic absolute constructions 3
  7. Some semantic and pragmatic aspects of object alternation in Early Vedic 23
  8. Part II. Discourse motivated subject marking
  9. The case of the shifty ergative marker: A pragmatic shift in the ergative marker of one Australian mixed language 59
  10. How useful is case morphology? The loss of the Old French two-case system within a theory of Preferred Argument structure 93
  11. Part III. Reduction or expansion of case marker distribution
  12. The development of case in Germanic 123
  13. A usage-based approach to change: Old Russian possessive constructions 161
  14. Lacking in Latvian: Case variation from a cognitive and constructional perspective 181
  15. Verb classes and dative objects in Insular Scandinavian 203
  16. Transitive adjectives in Japanese 225
  17. Part IV. Case syncretism motivated by syntax, semantics or language contact
  18. Patterns of development, patterns of syncretism of relational morphology in the Bodic languages 261
  19. The evolution of local cases and their grammatical equivalent in Greek and Latin 283
  20. Argument structure and alignment variations and changes in Late Latin 307
  21. Case loss in Texas German: The influence of semantic and pragmatic factors 347
  22. Part V. Case splits motivated by pragmatics, metonymy and subjectification
  23. Semantic role to new information in Meithei 377
  24. From less personal to more personal: Subjectification of ni -marked NPs in Japanese discourse 401
  25. Author index 423
  26. Subject index 427
The Role of Semantic, Pragmatic, and Discourse Factors in the Development of Case
This chapter is in the book The Role of Semantic, Pragmatic, and Discourse Factors in the Development of Case
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.108.09bar

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of contributors vii
  4. Introduction: The role of semantic, pragmatic and discourse factors in the development of case ix
  5. Part I. Semantically and aspectually motivated synchronic case variation
  6. Case variation in Gothic absolute constructions 3
  7. Some semantic and pragmatic aspects of object alternation in Early Vedic 23
  8. Part II. Discourse motivated subject marking
  9. The case of the shifty ergative marker: A pragmatic shift in the ergative marker of one Australian mixed language 59
  10. How useful is case morphology? The loss of the Old French two-case system within a theory of Preferred Argument structure 93
  11. Part III. Reduction or expansion of case marker distribution
  12. The development of case in Germanic 123
  13. A usage-based approach to change: Old Russian possessive constructions 161
  14. Lacking in Latvian: Case variation from a cognitive and constructional perspective 181
  15. Verb classes and dative objects in Insular Scandinavian 203
  16. Transitive adjectives in Japanese 225
  17. Part IV. Case syncretism motivated by syntax, semantics or language contact
  18. Patterns of development, patterns of syncretism of relational morphology in the Bodic languages 261
  19. The evolution of local cases and their grammatical equivalent in Greek and Latin 283
  20. Argument structure and alignment variations and changes in Late Latin 307
  21. Case loss in Texas German: The influence of semantic and pragmatic factors 347
  22. Part V. Case splits motivated by pragmatics, metonymy and subjectification
  23. Semantic role to new information in Meithei 377
  24. From less personal to more personal: Subjectification of ni -marked NPs in Japanese discourse 401
  25. Author index 423
  26. Subject index 427
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