Article published In:
On multiple source constructions in language changeEdited by Hendrik De Smet, Lobke Ghesquière and Freek Van de Velde
[Studies in Language 37:3] 2013
► pp. 566–598
Edited by Hendrik De Smet, Lobke Ghesquière and Freek Van de Velde
[Studies in Language 37:3] 2013
► pp. 566–598
Multiple sources for the German scandal construction
The interaction of several cases of grammaticalization going back to different source constructions may have dramatic consequences on a linguistic system. This paper discusses the so-called German scandal construction, which consists of a verbal complex displaying a number of synchronic form-meaning mismatches. The scandal is solved if a diachronic point of view is adopted, which shows that the mismatches result from the intraference of two different source constructions expanded in the course of the German linguistic history, namely the Perfekt construction and the zu-infinitive construction.
Keywords: infinitive, auxiliary, form/function mismatch, perfect, German
Cited by
Cited by 4 other publications
Angster, Marco & Livio Gaeta
2021. Contact phenomena in the verbal complex: the Walser connection in the Alpine area. STUF - Language Typology and Universals 74:1 ► pp. 73 ff. 
Gaeta, Livio
2020. Remotivating inflectional classes. In Historical Linguistics 2017 [Current Issues in Linguistic Theory, 350], ► pp. 206 ff.
Reiner, Tabea
2019. Variation in non-finiteness and temporality from a canonical perspective. In Morphological Variation [Studies in Language Companion Series, 207], ► pp. 283 ff.
Schallert, Oliver
2020. A Note on Misplaced or Wrongly Attachedzuin German. Journal of Germanic Linguistics 32:1 ► pp. 43 ff.
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