A paradigmatic approach to language and language change
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Lene Schøsler
Abstract
The present contribution develops responses to the papers of Rosenbach, cHilpert, and Traugott and Trousdale found in this volume, with focus on the following topics: synchronic gradience and gradual language change, reanalysis and analogy, both especially with respect to the grammaticalization of constructions. The paper provides additional data concerning the emergence and reorganisation of paradigmatically organised constructions – mainly from modern Danish and French. Constructions have been defined as symbolic combinations of a syntactic element and a semantic component. If expanded too far, the term ‘construction’ loses its explanatory power, but it is useful to distinguish between the level of the individual lexical verb and the level of grammar. The term ‘construction’ will be employed here only in the latter sense.
Abstract
The present contribution develops responses to the papers of Rosenbach, cHilpert, and Traugott and Trousdale found in this volume, with focus on the following topics: synchronic gradience and gradual language change, reanalysis and analogy, both especially with respect to the grammaticalization of constructions. The paper provides additional data concerning the emergence and reorganisation of paradigmatically organised constructions – mainly from modern Danish and French. Constructions have been defined as symbolic combinations of a syntactic element and a semantic component. If expanded too far, the term ‘construction’ loses its explanatory power, but it is useful to distinguish between the level of the individual lexical verb and the level of grammar. The term ‘construction’ will be employed here only in the latter sense.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors vii
- Acknowledgements ix
- Preface 1
- Gradience, gradualness and grammaticalization 19
- Grammaticalization, the clausal hierarchy and semantic bleaching 45
- Grammatical interference 75
- Category change in English with and without structural change 105
- Features in reanalysis and grammaticalization 129
- How synchronic gradience makes sense in the light of language change (and vice versa) 149
- What can synchronic gradience tell us about reanalysis? 181
- A paradigmatic approach to language and language change 203
- Grammaticalization and the it-cleft construction 221
- Grammaticalization in Chinese 245
- Grammaticalization and models of language 279
- Language index 301
- Subject index 303
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors vii
- Acknowledgements ix
- Preface 1
- Gradience, gradualness and grammaticalization 19
- Grammaticalization, the clausal hierarchy and semantic bleaching 45
- Grammatical interference 75
- Category change in English with and without structural change 105
- Features in reanalysis and grammaticalization 129
- How synchronic gradience makes sense in the light of language change (and vice versa) 149
- What can synchronic gradience tell us about reanalysis? 181
- A paradigmatic approach to language and language change 203
- Grammaticalization and the it-cleft construction 221
- Grammaticalization in Chinese 245
- Grammaticalization and models of language 279
- Language index 301
- Subject index 303
