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4. Morphosyntactic changes

Abstract

Subgrouping on the basis of shared innovations may be motivated by a set of phonological innovations, as we saw above. But it may equally well, as we shall see below, or in some cases even preferably so, be based on morphosyntactic changes. Parallel to our discussion of phonetic and phonological changes and their natural basis in the preceding chapters, we will begin by investigating the methodology behind the reconstruction of morphological changes. Next, we shall ask ourselves: What are “natural” morphological and syntactic changes?

Abstract

Subgrouping on the basis of shared innovations may be motivated by a set of phonological innovations, as we saw above. But it may equally well, as we shall see below, or in some cases even preferably so, be based on morphosyntactic changes. Parallel to our discussion of phonetic and phonological changes and their natural basis in the preceding chapters, we will begin by investigating the methodology behind the reconstruction of morphological changes. Next, we shall ask ourselves: What are “natural” morphological and syntactic changes?

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface ix
  4. Figures xiii
  5. Maps xv
  6. Tables xvii
  7. Part I. The comparative method
  8. 1. Explaining similarities 3
  9. 2. Explaining sound change 23
  10. 3. Classification and subclassification techniques 59
  11. 4. Morphosyntactic changes 93
  12. 5. Semantic change 115
  13. 6. Internal reconstruction 141
  14. 7. Language-internal variation 153
  15. Part II. The linguistic manifestation of contact
  16. 8. Borrowing 179
  17. 9. Pidginisation and creolisation 213
  18. 10. Syncretic languages 237
  19. 11. Language contraction and language shift 253
  20. 12. Language contact phenomena and genetic classification 265
  21. Part III. Studying language change in a wider contex
  22. 13. Language typology and reconstruction 283
  23. 14. Remote relationships and genetic diversity on the African continent 307
  24. 15. Language and history 333
  25. 16. Some ecological properties of language development 347
  26. References 373
  27. Appendix 407
  28. Language and language family index 409
  29. Subject index 419
Historical Linguistics and the Comparative Study of African Languages
This chapter is in the book Historical Linguistics and the Comparative Study of African Languages
https://doi.org/10.1075/z.161.05ch4

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface ix
  4. Figures xiii
  5. Maps xv
  6. Tables xvii
  7. Part I. The comparative method
  8. 1. Explaining similarities 3
  9. 2. Explaining sound change 23
  10. 3. Classification and subclassification techniques 59
  11. 4. Morphosyntactic changes 93
  12. 5. Semantic change 115
  13. 6. Internal reconstruction 141
  14. 7. Language-internal variation 153
  15. Part II. The linguistic manifestation of contact
  16. 8. Borrowing 179
  17. 9. Pidginisation and creolisation 213
  18. 10. Syncretic languages 237
  19. 11. Language contraction and language shift 253
  20. 12. Language contact phenomena and genetic classification 265
  21. Part III. Studying language change in a wider contex
  22. 13. Language typology and reconstruction 283
  23. 14. Remote relationships and genetic diversity on the African continent 307
  24. 15. Language and history 333
  25. 16. Some ecological properties of language development 347
  26. References 373
  27. Appendix 407
  28. Language and language family index 409
  29. Subject index 419
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