Past tense usage in Old Russian performative formulae. A case study into the development of a written language of distance
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Simeon Dekker
Abstract
Thanks to the corpus of Novgorod birchbark letters, which occupy an intermediate position on a continuum between orality and literacy, we can trace the development of a formal written language over a period of more than four centuries. Its emergence can partly be traced to (1) the adaptation of Church Slavonic norms to secular text types, and partly to (2) an adaptation of vernacular oral habits to the written medium.
The twofold origin of this development is presented by means of a case study, viz. the use of verbal tenses, especially the perfect and aorist, in performative formulae. In early texts, the use of the perfect in performative formulae is due to persisting patterns of oral formulation. In later texts, on the contrary, the aorist emerges, due to Church Slavonic influence and the development of a “language of distance”. A comparison is made between the birchbark letters and the parchment letters from Novgorod and Pskov. The use of the aorist in performative formulae is also attested in Ancient Greek and in Old Church Slavonic translations from Greek. Thus, the use of verbal tenses enlightens the path of development of the Russian written “language of distance”, through the lens of Greek and Church Slavonic (foreign) elements in interaction with oral (native) patterns of speech.
Abstract
Thanks to the corpus of Novgorod birchbark letters, which occupy an intermediate position on a continuum between orality and literacy, we can trace the development of a formal written language over a period of more than four centuries. Its emergence can partly be traced to (1) the adaptation of Church Slavonic norms to secular text types, and partly to (2) an adaptation of vernacular oral habits to the written medium.
The twofold origin of this development is presented by means of a case study, viz. the use of verbal tenses, especially the perfect and aorist, in performative formulae. In early texts, the use of the perfect in performative formulae is due to persisting patterns of oral formulation. In later texts, on the contrary, the aorist emerges, due to Church Slavonic influence and the development of a “language of distance”. A comparison is made between the birchbark letters and the parchment letters from Novgorod and Pskov. The use of the aorist in performative formulae is also attested in Ancient Greek and in Old Church Slavonic translations from Greek. Thus, the use of verbal tenses enlightens the path of development of the Russian written “language of distance”, through the lens of Greek and Church Slavonic (foreign) elements in interaction with oral (native) patterns of speech.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Contents VII
- Glossing IX
- Introduction 1
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Part I: The influence of Latin on Slavonic vernaculars
- The paths of grammaticalization of North Slavonic connectors. An interface point of Slavonic, Greek and Latin 11
- The influence of Latin on the syntax of Old Polish numerals 37
- The influence of the Latin Vulgate on the word order of pronominal enclitics in the 1st edition of the Old Czech Bible 53
- The accusativus cum infinitivo in 16th–19th century Croatian texts. Contact-induced and internally motivated syntactic change 81
- Relative coordination. Kateri-/koteri-relatives in 18th century Slovene and Kajkavian 107
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Part II: The influence of Greek on Church Slavonic
- Blocking of syntactic constructions without Greek counterparts in Church Slavonic 133
- The article-like usage of the relative pronoun iže as an indicator of early Slavonic grammatical thinking 163
- Past tense usage in Old Russian performative formulae. A case study into the development of a written language of distance 179
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Part III: The influence of Latin on Church Slavonic
- When Church Slavonic meets Latin. Tradition vs. innovation 201
- Non-strict negative concord proper and languages in contact. Translating Latin into Croatian Church Slavonic and Greek into Old Church Slavonic 233
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Part IV: In lieu of a conclusion
- First attestations. An Old Church Slavonic sampler 255
- Index 303
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Contents VII
- Glossing IX
- Introduction 1
-
Part I: The influence of Latin on Slavonic vernaculars
- The paths of grammaticalization of North Slavonic connectors. An interface point of Slavonic, Greek and Latin 11
- The influence of Latin on the syntax of Old Polish numerals 37
- The influence of the Latin Vulgate on the word order of pronominal enclitics in the 1st edition of the Old Czech Bible 53
- The accusativus cum infinitivo in 16th–19th century Croatian texts. Contact-induced and internally motivated syntactic change 81
- Relative coordination. Kateri-/koteri-relatives in 18th century Slovene and Kajkavian 107
-
Part II: The influence of Greek on Church Slavonic
- Blocking of syntactic constructions without Greek counterparts in Church Slavonic 133
- The article-like usage of the relative pronoun iže as an indicator of early Slavonic grammatical thinking 163
- Past tense usage in Old Russian performative formulae. A case study into the development of a written language of distance 179
-
Part III: The influence of Latin on Church Slavonic
- When Church Slavonic meets Latin. Tradition vs. innovation 201
- Non-strict negative concord proper and languages in contact. Translating Latin into Croatian Church Slavonic and Greek into Old Church Slavonic 233
-
Part IV: In lieu of a conclusion
- First attestations. An Old Church Slavonic sampler 255
- Index 303
