Texas German and English word order constructions in contact
After reviewing previous accounts of Texas German (TxG) syntax, I define the basic word order constructions of English and German and identify which are identical across the languages (i.e. diaconstructions). Next, I analyze 300 TxG utterances and determine whether their syntax corresponds more closely to German, English, or German-English diaconstructions. Finally, I discuss sentences exhibiting unusual word order and how they demonstrate the need for a (Diasystematic) Construction Grammar approach.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Previous accounts of Texas German word order
- 2.1Texas German(s)
- 2.2German word order
- 2.3Word order in TxG
- 3.Word order in (Diasystematic) Construction Grammar
- 4.German word order constructions and German-English diaconstructions
- 4.1.German word order constructions
- 4.2English-German word order diaconstructions
- (A)Subject precedes verb
- (B)All verbs occur together
- (C)Finite verbs precede non-finite verb forms
- (D)Polar questions require do support
- 5.Analysis of TxG word order
- 5.1Data selection and limitations
- 5.2.TxG clauses with German-origin verbs
-
Müssen (‘to have to’)
-
Dass (‘that’)
-
Weil (‘because’)
- Because
- 5.3TxG utterances with English verbs
- Infinitival clauses
- Polar questions
- Subordinate clauses
- Main clauses
- 5.4.Summary of TxG word order
- 5.5.(Diasystematic) constructional account of divergent TxG syntax
- Multiple lexical transference
- (Inaccurate) complex German structures
- Transferring complex verb constructions with lexicogrammatical interference
- Loan Translation of more general and ‘central’ constructions
- Multiple transference and interference in a single clause
- 6.Conclusion
-
Notes
-
References
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