The rise of long catenative constructions in Modern English: new sub-schemas and new stylistic options
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Christian Mair
Abstract
From the late Middle English period catenative constructions have seen a considerable increase, both in frequency and in structural diversity. The present study charts this increase for the nineteenth and twentieth centuries on the basis of the Corpus of Historical American English (and, for one case study, the Corpus of Contemporary American English). Using the example of make NP want to VERB, I will show how some frequent three-element-catenative sequences provide the basis for the formation of new catenative sub-schemas. Catenative sequences with four or more elements will be analyzed for their stylistic potential, as “grammar-in-text”. On the basis of a large translation corpus (InterCorp), English catenative constructions will be compared to their Spanish and German equivalents, providing evidence for the heuristic potential of the contrastive comparison of languages.
Abstract
From the late Middle English period catenative constructions have seen a considerable increase, both in frequency and in structural diversity. The present study charts this increase for the nineteenth and twentieth centuries on the basis of the Corpus of Historical American English (and, for one case study, the Corpus of Contemporary American English). Using the example of make NP want to VERB, I will show how some frequent three-element-catenative sequences provide the basis for the formation of new catenative sub-schemas. Catenative sequences with four or more elements will be analyzed for their stylistic potential, as “grammar-in-text”. On the basis of a large translation corpus (InterCorp), English catenative constructions will be compared to their Spanish and German equivalents, providing evidence for the heuristic potential of the contrastive comparison of languages.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Contents VII
- Subordination, or the permanent allure of the “adjacent possible” 1
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Part I: Diachronic perspectives on subordination
- From flying Sancho to swooning Altisidora: The changing use of premodifying present participles in three English translations of Cervantes’ Don Quijote 25
- Because science! Notes on a variable conjunction 43
- That-clauses as complements of verbs or nouns 61
- Semantic roles as a factor affecting complement choice: a case study with data from COHA 85
- Expanding the type you can’t help laughing 103
- -Ing clauses in spoken English: structure, usage and recent change 129
- Resourceful ways of recruiting members: The origin and development of Mental zero-Secondary Predicate Constructions 155
- The rise of long catenative constructions in Modern English: new sub-schemas and new stylistic options 185
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Part II: Subordination in Present-day Englishes
- Catenative get in World Englishes 211
- Adverbial subordination across variety types: A synchronic analysis of the syntax and semantics of since- and while-clauses in ENL, ESL, and EFL 235
- Whatever the specific circumstances, …: A Construction Grammar perspective of wh-ever clauses in English 263
- A sociolinguistic study of relativizers in spoken Philippines English 285
- Subject index 309
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Contents VII
- Subordination, or the permanent allure of the “adjacent possible” 1
-
Part I: Diachronic perspectives on subordination
- From flying Sancho to swooning Altisidora: The changing use of premodifying present participles in three English translations of Cervantes’ Don Quijote 25
- Because science! Notes on a variable conjunction 43
- That-clauses as complements of verbs or nouns 61
- Semantic roles as a factor affecting complement choice: a case study with data from COHA 85
- Expanding the type you can’t help laughing 103
- -Ing clauses in spoken English: structure, usage and recent change 129
- Resourceful ways of recruiting members: The origin and development of Mental zero-Secondary Predicate Constructions 155
- The rise of long catenative constructions in Modern English: new sub-schemas and new stylistic options 185
-
Part II: Subordination in Present-day Englishes
- Catenative get in World Englishes 211
- Adverbial subordination across variety types: A synchronic analysis of the syntax and semantics of since- and while-clauses in ENL, ESL, and EFL 235
- Whatever the specific circumstances, …: A Construction Grammar perspective of wh-ever clauses in English 263
- A sociolinguistic study of relativizers in spoken Philippines English 285
- Subject index 309
