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Reconstructing non-canonical argument structure for Proto-Indo-European

Methodological questions and progress

Abstract

This paper considers certain methodological issues that have arisen over the course of an investigation into the likelihood that oblique subject constructions in the Indo-European languages are inherited from Proto-Indo-European. In the process, we desire to elicit productive criticism of the methods employed in this research toward the end of creating a useful methodological process for comparing syntactic forms. The paper also discusses what appear to be legitimate problems in forming a method for diachronic comparative syntax versus criticisms of comparative work that should not be considered especially problematic for syntactic studies.

Abstract

This paper considers certain methodological issues that have arisen over the course of an investigation into the likelihood that oblique subject constructions in the Indo-European languages are inherited from Proto-Indo-European. In the process, we desire to elicit productive criticism of the methods employed in this research toward the end of creating a useful methodological process for comparing syntactic forms. The paper also discusses what appear to be legitimate problems in forming a method for diachronic comparative syntax versus criticisms of comparative work that should not be considered especially problematic for syntactic studies.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction
  4. Historical syntax 3
  5. Syntactic change
  6. Manner deixis as source of grammatical markers in Indo-European languages 35
  7. Time for change 61
  8. Syntactic reconstruction
  9. Reconstructing non-canonical argument structure for Proto-Indo-European 95
  10. An approach to syntactic reconstruction 117
  11. Anatolian morphosyntax 155
  12. Historical syntax and corpus linguistics
  13. Treebanks in historical linguistic research 187
  14. Traces of discourse configurationality in older Indo-European languages? 203
  15. Studying word order changes in Latin 233
  16. Problematizing syndetic coordination 251
  17. What role for inscriptions in the study of syntax and syntactic change in the old Indo-European languages? 271
  18. Historical syntax and language contact
  19. The Gulf of Guinea creoles 293
  20. Syntactic diversity and change in Austroasiatic languages 317
  21. Register of Subjects 341
  22. Register of Languages 345
Perspectives on Historical Syntax
This chapter is in the book Perspectives on Historical Syntax
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.169.04smi

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction
  4. Historical syntax 3
  5. Syntactic change
  6. Manner deixis as source of grammatical markers in Indo-European languages 35
  7. Time for change 61
  8. Syntactic reconstruction
  9. Reconstructing non-canonical argument structure for Proto-Indo-European 95
  10. An approach to syntactic reconstruction 117
  11. Anatolian morphosyntax 155
  12. Historical syntax and corpus linguistics
  13. Treebanks in historical linguistic research 187
  14. Traces of discourse configurationality in older Indo-European languages? 203
  15. Studying word order changes in Latin 233
  16. Problematizing syndetic coordination 251
  17. What role for inscriptions in the study of syntax and syntactic change in the old Indo-European languages? 271
  18. Historical syntax and language contact
  19. The Gulf of Guinea creoles 293
  20. Syntactic diversity and change in Austroasiatic languages 317
  21. Register of Subjects 341
  22. Register of Languages 345
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