Relative Clauses in Time and Space
A case study in the methods of diachronic typology
The Australian National University
This book presents a comprehensive survey of historically attested relative clause constructions from a diachronic typological perspective. Systematic integration of historical data and a typological approach demonstrates how typology and historical linguistics can each benefit from attention to the other. The diachronic behaviour of relative clauses is mapped across a broad range of genetically and geographically diverse languages. Central to the discussion is the strength of evidence for what have previously been claimed to be ‘natural’ or even ‘universal’ pathways of change. While many features of relative clause constructions are found to be remarkably stable over long periods of time, it is shown that language contact seems to be the crucial factor that does trigger change when it occurs. These results point to the importance of incorporating the effects of language contact into models of language change rather than viewing contact situations as exceptional. The findings of this study have implications for the definition of relative clauses, their syntactic structures and the relationships between the different ‘subtypes’ of this construction, as well as offering new directions for the integration of typological and historical linguistic research.
[Typological Studies in Language, 101]
2012.
xii, 281 pp.
Publishing status: Available
Hardbound – Available
ISBN
9789027206824
|
EUR
95.00
|
USD
143.00
e-Book – Sold by e-book platforms
ISBN
9789027273680
|
EUR
95.00
|
USD
143.00
Table of Contents
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Acknowledgements
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ix
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List of abbreviations
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xi–xii
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1. Introduction
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1–42
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2. Sources and extension of grammatical markers
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43–132
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3. Other types of relationship between grammatical markers
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133–162
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4. Syntactic change in the development of RC constructions
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163–198
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5. Relevant factors in language change: The importance of contact
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199–228
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6. Conclusions
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229–246
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References
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247–262
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Appendices
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263–274
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Language index
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275–278
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Subject index
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279–281
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Quotes
“This book provides a model of what kind of research is possible in the diachronic typology of syntax.”
Harold Koch
“This book will be regarded as a pioneering work in the area of diachronic syntactic typology.”
Cynthia Allen
“It is well written and clear; the survey of the field is excellent; the evidence is abundant and is used well; the argumentation is clear and persuasive; and the findings make very significant original contributions to a broad and complex topic. This book will no doubt stand as the most significant study of the history of relative clauses for many years to come, by far the most definitive work in this area to date.”
Lyle Campbell
Subjects
Benjamins Subject classification
Linguistics
BIC Subject
CFF: Historical & comparative linguistics
BISAC Subject
LAN009000: LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Linguistics
U.S. Library of Congress Control Number: 2012012902