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Case loss in Texas German: The influence of semantic and pragmatic factors

  • Hans C. Boas
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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

Abstract

Based on a comparison of data from Gilbert (1972) and data collected by the Texas German Dialect Project between 2001–2006 I demonstrate that dative case marking in Texas German has significantly declined over the past 40 years. Applying Trudgill’s (2004) model of new-dialect formation to the data I argue that the reduction in dative case is best explained in terms of internal factors, that is, leveling processes taking place in dialect contact situations. I propose that the replacement of the dative by the accusative is triggered by at least three interlaced factors: similarity in phonological form, movement towards unmarked forms (from lexical to structural case), and similarity in semantic contexts.

Abstract

Based on a comparison of data from Gilbert (1972) and data collected by the Texas German Dialect Project between 2001–2006 I demonstrate that dative case marking in Texas German has significantly declined over the past 40 years. Applying Trudgill’s (2004) model of new-dialect formation to the data I argue that the reduction in dative case is best explained in terms of internal factors, that is, leveling processes taking place in dialect contact situations. I propose that the replacement of the dative by the accusative is triggered by at least three interlaced factors: similarity in phonological form, movement towards unmarked forms (from lexical to structural case), and similarity in semantic contexts.

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
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.108.18boa

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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