The perfectivization of the English perfect
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Jim Walker
Abstract
This paper assesses the degree to which the HAVE-perfect in English can truly be thought of as a paradigmatic case of grammaticalization, as has at times been proposed in the literature. By examining the existing scholarship on two proposed recent developments of the HAVE-perfect, its claimed emerging compatibility with definite past time adverbials and its use as a perfective tense to narrate sequences of past-time events, and by proposing new data, the paper demonstrates that it is by no means clear that either of these phenomena are truly emergent, and therefore urges caution in the rush to see grammaticalization afoot. The paper goes on to call for greater caution in theorizing how grammaticalization affects languages, such as English, which are pluricentral and wherein related phenomena may occasionally travel along two clines facing opposite directions.
Abstract
This paper assesses the degree to which the HAVE-perfect in English can truly be thought of as a paradigmatic case of grammaticalization, as has at times been proposed in the literature. By examining the existing scholarship on two proposed recent developments of the HAVE-perfect, its claimed emerging compatibility with definite past time adverbials and its use as a perfective tense to narrate sequences of past-time events, and by proposing new data, the paper demonstrates that it is by no means clear that either of these phenomena are truly emergent, and therefore urges caution in the rush to see grammaticalization afoot. The paper goes on to call for greater caution in theorizing how grammaticalization affects languages, such as English, which are pluricentral and wherein related phenomena may occasionally travel along two clines facing opposite directions.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Introduction 1
-
Part 1. General issues
- Acquisition Based and Usage Based Explanations of Grammaticalisation. An Integrative Approach 13
- Grammaticalization and Explanation 41
- The perfectivization of the English perfect 53
- Explaining language structure 67
- Toward a constructional framework for research on language change 87
-
Part 2. Case studies
- Grammaticalization of Polish mental predicate prefixes 109
- More Thoughts on the Grammaticalization of Personal Pronouns 129
- The grammaticalization of nomə in the Eastern Abruzzese dialect Ortese 157
- The different developments of progressive aspect markers be in the middle/midst of and be in the process of V- ing 181
- Sequentiality in dialogue as a trigger for grammaticalization 203
- The final particle but in British English 235
- “Final hanging but” in American English 257
- Author index 287
- Subject index 289
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Introduction 1
-
Part 1. General issues
- Acquisition Based and Usage Based Explanations of Grammaticalisation. An Integrative Approach 13
- Grammaticalization and Explanation 41
- The perfectivization of the English perfect 53
- Explaining language structure 67
- Toward a constructional framework for research on language change 87
-
Part 2. Case studies
- Grammaticalization of Polish mental predicate prefixes 109
- More Thoughts on the Grammaticalization of Personal Pronouns 129
- The grammaticalization of nomə in the Eastern Abruzzese dialect Ortese 157
- The different developments of progressive aspect markers be in the middle/midst of and be in the process of V- ing 181
- Sequentiality in dialogue as a trigger for grammaticalization 203
- The final particle but in British English 235
- “Final hanging but” in American English 257
- Author index 287
- Subject index 289
