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Chapter 11. Factors for the integration of causal clauses in the history of German

  • Augustin Speyer and Sophia Voigtmann
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Micro- and Macro-variation of Causal Clauses
This chapter is in the book Micro- and Macro-variation of Causal Clauses

Abstract

The variation between integrated (verb-final) and independent (verb-second) causal clauses in German could depend on the amount of information conveyed in that clause. A lower amount might lead to integration, a higher amount to independence, as processing constraints might forbid integration of highly informative clauses. We use two ways to measure information amount: 1. the average ratio of given referents within the clause, 2. the cumulative surprisal of all words in the clause. Focusing on historical stages of German, a significant correlation between amount of information and integration was visible, regardless which method was used.

Abstract

The variation between integrated (verb-final) and independent (verb-second) causal clauses in German could depend on the amount of information conveyed in that clause. A lower amount might lead to integration, a higher amount to independence, as processing constraints might forbid integration of highly informative clauses. We use two ways to measure information amount: 1. the average ratio of given referents within the clause, 2. the cumulative surprisal of all words in the clause. Focusing on historical stages of German, a significant correlation between amount of information and integration was visible, regardless which method was used.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface and acknowledgments vii
  4. Chapter 1. Outline of the volume 1
  5. Part I. Setting the scene
  6. Chapter 2. Adverbial clauses and their variation 15
  7. Part II. Synchronic variation
  8. Chapter 3. Types of German causal clauses and their syntactic-semantic layers 51
  9. Chapter 4. Pragmatic subordination 101
  10. Chapter 5. English rationale since and a reassessment of the typology of adverbial clauses 129
  11. Chapter 6. Expressing non-volitional causality in English 167
  12. Chapter 7. Layers of subordinate clauses 184
  13. Chapter 8. On the syntax of causal clauses in Mandarin Chinese 221
  14. Chapter 9. Three ReasonPs 250
  15. Part III. Diachrony
  16. Chapter 10. On the divergent developments of two German causal subjunctions 269
  17. Chapter 11. Factors for the integration of causal clauses in the history of German 311
  18. Language index 347
  19. Subject index 348
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.231.11spe

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface and acknowledgments vii
  4. Chapter 1. Outline of the volume 1
  5. Part I. Setting the scene
  6. Chapter 2. Adverbial clauses and their variation 15
  7. Part II. Synchronic variation
  8. Chapter 3. Types of German causal clauses and their syntactic-semantic layers 51
  9. Chapter 4. Pragmatic subordination 101
  10. Chapter 5. English rationale since and a reassessment of the typology of adverbial clauses 129
  11. Chapter 6. Expressing non-volitional causality in English 167
  12. Chapter 7. Layers of subordinate clauses 184
  13. Chapter 8. On the syntax of causal clauses in Mandarin Chinese 221
  14. Chapter 9. Three ReasonPs 250
  15. Part III. Diachrony
  16. Chapter 10. On the divergent developments of two German causal subjunctions 269
  17. Chapter 11. Factors for the integration of causal clauses in the history of German 311
  18. Language index 347
  19. Subject index 348
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