Reconsidering erosion in grammaticalization
-
René Schiering
Abstract
The loss of phonological substance (‘erosion’) has been identified as a recurring concomitant of grammaticalization and is often taken as a defining property of the process. This paper critically reexamines the role of erosion in a theory of grammaticalization by investigating the phonology of cliticization. The degree of phonological reduction that accompanies this sub-process of grammaticalization varies across different prosodic systems. Concentrating on stress systems, heavy erosion of grammaticalized elements is characteristic for languages with strong segmental effect of stress (e.g. German) and less so for languages with weak stress (e.g. Turkish). A revised theory of grammaticalization thus needs to acknowledge structural factors constraining the development of morphemes and should define evolutionary paths not in terms of universal scenarios but relative to different language types.
Abstract
The loss of phonological substance (‘erosion’) has been identified as a recurring concomitant of grammaticalization and is often taken as a defining property of the process. This paper critically reexamines the role of erosion in a theory of grammaticalization by investigating the phonology of cliticization. The degree of phonological reduction that accompanies this sub-process of grammaticalization varies across different prosodic systems. Concentrating on stress systems, heavy erosion of grammaticalized elements is characteristic for languages with strong segmental effect of stress (e.g. German) and less so for languages with weak stress (e.g. Turkish). A revised theory of grammaticalization thus needs to acknowledge structural factors constraining the development of morphemes and should define evolutionary paths not in terms of universal scenarios but relative to different language types.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Introduction 1
-
part I Basic questions
- On some problem areas in grammaticalization studies 17
- Issues in constructional approaches to grammaticalization in English 51
- Reconsidering erosion in grammaticalization 73
- Grammaticalization, subjectification and objectification 101
- Degrammaticalization 123
- Degrammaticalization and obsolescent morphology 151
-
part II Grammaticalization and the explanation of language change
- An analogical approach to grammaticalization 181
- Does grammaticalisation need analogy? 221
- What grammaticalisation can reveal about same-subject control 241
- How the Latin neuter pronominal forms became markers of non-individuation in Spanish 273
-
part III Case studies of micro-processes of grammaticalization
- The Grammaticalization of the German adjectives lauter (and eitel ) 297
- Is German gehören an auxiliary? 323
- Micro-processes of grammaticalization 343
- List of contributors 373
- Index 375
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Introduction 1
-
part I Basic questions
- On some problem areas in grammaticalization studies 17
- Issues in constructional approaches to grammaticalization in English 51
- Reconsidering erosion in grammaticalization 73
- Grammaticalization, subjectification and objectification 101
- Degrammaticalization 123
- Degrammaticalization and obsolescent morphology 151
-
part II Grammaticalization and the explanation of language change
- An analogical approach to grammaticalization 181
- Does grammaticalisation need analogy? 221
- What grammaticalisation can reveal about same-subject control 241
- How the Latin neuter pronominal forms became markers of non-individuation in Spanish 273
-
part III Case studies of micro-processes of grammaticalization
- The Grammaticalization of the German adjectives lauter (and eitel ) 297
- Is German gehören an auxiliary? 323
- Micro-processes of grammaticalization 343
- List of contributors 373
- Index 375
