On the (almost im)possible emergence of grammatical gender in language-contact situations
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Thomas Stolz
Abstract
The paper critically evaluates statements on the contact-induced genesis of grammatical gender in languages which were previously devoid of this category. To this end, several language-contact situations between gendered donor languages and genderless replica languages from different macro-areas are inquired into. It is shown that the subject matter is largely understudied. The quantity and quality of the extant descriptions of cases of borrowed grammatical gender call for more in-depth studies dedicated to this topic. The low cross-linguistic frequency of the phenomenon notwithstanding, its further exploration promises important insights for the theory of grammatical gender and for language-contact studies in general. What obstacles the evaluation of the available data is the often fragmentary and unsystematic documentation of the empirical facts. There is evidence of cross-linguistically recurrent patterns whose validity can only be tested on the basis of a dedicated typologically-inspired in-depth study of the behavior of grammatical gender in language-contact situations.
Abstract
The paper critically evaluates statements on the contact-induced genesis of grammatical gender in languages which were previously devoid of this category. To this end, several language-contact situations between gendered donor languages and genderless replica languages from different macro-areas are inquired into. It is shown that the subject matter is largely understudied. The quantity and quality of the extant descriptions of cases of borrowed grammatical gender call for more in-depth studies dedicated to this topic. The low cross-linguistic frequency of the phenomenon notwithstanding, its further exploration promises important insights for the theory of grammatical gender and for language-contact studies in general. What obstacles the evaluation of the available data is the often fragmentary and unsystematic documentation of the empirical facts. There is evidence of cross-linguistically recurrent patterns whose validity can only be tested on the basis of a dedicated typologically-inspired in-depth study of the behavior of grammatical gender in language-contact situations.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Preface VII
- On the (almost im)possible emergence of grammatical gender in language-contact situations 1
- Language contact and number inflection in Patagonian Welsh 51
- VOY – PARA – SIEMPRE: Three Spanish-derived function words and the Chamorro irrealis 91
- On the borrowing of the English adversative connector but 183
- On loan conjunctions: A comparative study with special focus on the languages of the former Soviet Union 259
- Parallel Romancization: Chamorro and Tetun Dili – two heavy borrowers compared 393
- Index of Authors 467
- Index of Languages 474
- Index of Subjects 479
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Preface VII
- On the (almost im)possible emergence of grammatical gender in language-contact situations 1
- Language contact and number inflection in Patagonian Welsh 51
- VOY – PARA – SIEMPRE: Three Spanish-derived function words and the Chamorro irrealis 91
- On the borrowing of the English adversative connector but 183
- On loan conjunctions: A comparative study with special focus on the languages of the former Soviet Union 259
- Parallel Romancization: Chamorro and Tetun Dili – two heavy borrowers compared 393
- Index of Authors 467
- Index of Languages 474
- Index of Subjects 479
