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Gradualness in language change

A constructional perspective

Abstract

This chapter considers the constructional changes which may both precede and follow the establishment of a new construction in a language, building on work that has been carried out in grammaticalization, lexicalization and degrammaticalization. It also considers the relationship between abrupt reanalysis and perceptions of gradualness in change, particularly in terms of the intersection of diachronic gradualness and synchronic gradience. In attending to the nature of particular constructional changes, the objective of the chapter is to show some of the ways in which gradual change and abrupt neoanalysis can be brought together in a coherent way.

Abstract

This chapter considers the constructional changes which may both precede and follow the establishment of a new construction in a language, building on work that has been carried out in grammaticalization, lexicalization and degrammaticalization. It also considers the relationship between abrupt reanalysis and perceptions of gradualness in change, particularly in terms of the intersection of diachronic gradualness and synchronic gradience. In attending to the nature of particular constructional changes, the objective of the chapter is to show some of the ways in which gradual change and abrupt neoanalysis can be brought together in a coherent way.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements vii
  4. List of contributors ix
  5. Synchrony and diachrony 1
  6. Part I. The role of analogy and constructions in the synchrony-diachrony interface
  7. Gradualness in language change 27
  8. Gradual change and continual variation 43
  9. Can you literally be scared sick ? 79
  10. The reputed sense of be meant to 105
  11. Gradualness in analogical change as a complexification stage in a language simplification process 125
  12. Part II. Synchronic variation and language change
  13. Semantic maps, for synchronic and diachronic typology 153
  14. Synchronic gradience and language change in Latin genitive constructions 177
  15. Double agreement in the Alpine languages 201
  16. On variation in gender agreement 237
  17. Synchronic Variation and Grammatical Change 261
  18. A case study on the relationship between grammatical change and synchronic variation 283
  19. Grammaticalization in the present – The changes of modern Swedish typ 313
  20. Part III. Gradualness in language change
  21. Gradualness in change in English (augmented) absolutes 341
  22. Grammatical encoding of referentiality in the history of Hungarian 367
  23. Gradualness in contact-induced constructional replication 391
  24. Binding Hierarchy and peculiarities of the verb potere in some Southern Calabrian varieties 419
  25. Author index 441
  26. Subject index 447
Synchrony and Diachrony
This chapter is in the book Synchrony and Diachrony
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.133.02tro

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements vii
  4. List of contributors ix
  5. Synchrony and diachrony 1
  6. Part I. The role of analogy and constructions in the synchrony-diachrony interface
  7. Gradualness in language change 27
  8. Gradual change and continual variation 43
  9. Can you literally be scared sick ? 79
  10. The reputed sense of be meant to 105
  11. Gradualness in analogical change as a complexification stage in a language simplification process 125
  12. Part II. Synchronic variation and language change
  13. Semantic maps, for synchronic and diachronic typology 153
  14. Synchronic gradience and language change in Latin genitive constructions 177
  15. Double agreement in the Alpine languages 201
  16. On variation in gender agreement 237
  17. Synchronic Variation and Grammatical Change 261
  18. A case study on the relationship between grammatical change and synchronic variation 283
  19. Grammaticalization in the present – The changes of modern Swedish typ 313
  20. Part III. Gradualness in language change
  21. Gradualness in change in English (augmented) absolutes 341
  22. Grammatical encoding of referentiality in the history of Hungarian 367
  23. Gradualness in contact-induced constructional replication 391
  24. Binding Hierarchy and peculiarities of the verb potere in some Southern Calabrian varieties 419
  25. Author index 441
  26. Subject index 447
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