Language variation and change in the formation of Greek superlative constructions
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Dimitra Melissaropoulou
Abstract
This paper addresses variation and change in the realization of superlative constructions in the light of the evidence provided by Modern Greek dialectal variation as a window into the study of the organization of grammar. Dialectal data show that analyticity prevails in the realization of relative comparative constructions, while absolute ones seem to resist more persistently due to their high relevance with another morphological category, evaluative intensification. Our findings argue in favour of the strong interplay among all three processes, viewed as realizations of the conceptual category of gradation, accounted for in terms of a continuum. The proposed organization captures the strong interplay between intensification and absolute superlatives on the one hand, while relative and absolute superlative formations on the other. On a theoretical level, this account could contribute further to important issues such as the controversial status of comparison and evaluation in grammar, which may differ cross-linguistically, suggesting that a combined account of the three processes might prove more adequate.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers and the editor for useful comments and suggestions. The usual disclaimers apply.
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Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- Articles – Articulos – Artikel
- Désignation et représentation des éléments topographiques dans les dialectes de France : synthèse générale (relief, cours d’eau, cavernes)
- Sources in historical dialectology
- Romanian words of German Origin (based on ALRR. Sinteză, vol. 1–3)
- Language variation and change in the formation of Greek superlative constructions
- Joseph Wright’s sources in the English Dialect Dictionary: evidence of spoken English from EDD Online
- Les expression météorologiques. Une approche contrastive allemand / luxembourgeois / français
- On continental Basque dialects and some aspects of their chronology
- First approaches to an underexplored dialect region: Trudgill’s Upper Southwest
- The situation of English speaker’s place of origin depending on Chinese dialects
- Besprechungen – Comptes rendus – Reseñas – Reviews
- Besprechungen – Comptes rendus – Reseñas – Reviews
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- Articles – Articulos – Artikel
- Désignation et représentation des éléments topographiques dans les dialectes de France : synthèse générale (relief, cours d’eau, cavernes)
- Sources in historical dialectology
- Romanian words of German Origin (based on ALRR. Sinteză, vol. 1–3)
- Language variation and change in the formation of Greek superlative constructions
- Joseph Wright’s sources in the English Dialect Dictionary: evidence of spoken English from EDD Online
- Les expression météorologiques. Une approche contrastive allemand / luxembourgeois / français
- On continental Basque dialects and some aspects of their chronology
- First approaches to an underexplored dialect region: Trudgill’s Upper Southwest
- The situation of English speaker’s place of origin depending on Chinese dialects
- Besprechungen – Comptes rendus – Reseñas – Reviews
- Besprechungen – Comptes rendus – Reseñas – Reviews
