English Adjectives of Comparison: Lexical and Grammaticalized Uses (Topics in English Linguistics [TiEL], 63)

The book is concerned with a largely unrecognized grammaticalization process: deictification, or the development from quality-attributing to deictically used adjectives in the English noun phrase. On the basis of the synchronic and diachronic corpus-study of six English adjectives of comparison, deictification is shown to involve unstudied variants of subjectification and decategorialization. The book is concerned with a hitherto underresearched grammaticalization process: the development from quality-attributing adjective to determiner in the English noun phrase. It takes a bottom-up approach, based on extensive synchronic and diachronic corpus studies of six English adjectives of comparison: other, different, same, identical, similar and comparable. Their functional diversity in current English is proposed to constitute a case of layering, representing the original descriptive use, which expresses how like/unlike each other entities are, and a range of grammaticalized referential uses, which contribute to the identification and/or quantification of the entities denoted by the NP. Diachronic and comparative data material is invoked to verify and further develop the grammaticalization hypothesis. The development of adjectives of comparison involves several key concepts identified in the literature. Crucially, it is described as a case of textual intersubjectification driven by the optimalization of recipient-design. The actual grammaticalization paths are diverse and are characterized by lexical as well as structural persistence, i.e. the same lexical meaning develops into different grammatical functions in different syntagmatic configurations. In order to define the NP as a locus of diachronic change, this study offers a new angle on the description of adjectives and the modelling of NP structure. It advocates the abandonment of the traditional class-based model in favour of a radically functional one, in which functions are defined in terms of prototypicality so as to allow for gradience between and within them. The described grammaticalization processes involve developments from prototypical lexical to grammatical reference-related use within the adjectival category, which can be the starting point of further gradual change to determiners. The traditional relation between classes and positions is envisaged as a correspondence between functional and syntactic zones. The change in form concomitant with grammaticalization in the NP is argued to consist of the reconfiguration of structural combinatorics and progressive leftward movement. The book is of interest to linguistic researchers and graduate students in linguistics who focus their attention on grammaticalization and subjectification, the functional description of adjectives, questions of deixis and theoretical issues relating to nominal reference. Cover Page......Page 1 Topics in English Linguistics......Page 3 Title: English Adjectives of Comparison : Lexical and Grammaticalized Uses......Page 4 ISBN 9783110205800......Page 5 Acknowledgements......Page 6 Table of contents......Page 8 Introduction......Page 14 1. Constructing a dynamic functional combinatory model of the English NP......Page 24 2. Grammaticalization and subjectification in the English NP......Page 53 3. English adjectives of general comparison......Page 70 4. The grammaticalization hypothesis......Page 92 5. The role of subjectivity and subjectification in the grammaticalization of prenominal adjectives of comparison......Page 124 6. Adjectives of difference......Page 162 7. Adjectives of identity......Page 210 8. Adjectives of similarity......Page 254 9. Adjectives of comparison in postnominal position......Page 286 10. Diachronic corpus study of six adjectives of comparison......Page 300 11. Diachronic corpus study of six adjectives of difference......Page 334 12. Summary......Page 364 Corpora......Page 374 References......Page 375 Index......Page 406 Cover Page 1 Topics in English Linguistics 3 Title: English Adjectives of Comparison : Lexical and Grammaticalized Uses 4 ISBN 9783110205800 5 Acknowledgements 6 Table of contents 8 Introduction 14 1. Constructing a dynamic functional combinatory model of the English NP 24 2. Grammaticalization and subjectification in the English NP 53 3. English adjectives of general comparison 70 4. The grammaticalization hypothesis 92 5. The role of subjectivity and subjectification in the grammaticalization of prenominal adjectives of comparison 124 6. Adjectives of difference 162 7. Adjectives of identity 210 8. Adjectives of similarity 254 9. Adjectives of comparison in postnominal position 286 10. Diachronic corpus study of six adjectives of comparison 300 11. Diachronic corpus study of six adjectives of difference 334 12. Summary 364 Corpora 374 References 375 Index 406 ISBN,9783110205800 Theoretical argumentation for the grammaticalization and subjectification hypothesis of English adjectives of comparison in the English np: Constructing a dynamic functional combinatory model of the English np Grammaticalization and subjectification in the english np English adjectives of general comparison The grammaticalization hypothesis The role of subjectivity and subjectification in the grammaticalization of prenominal adjectives of comparison Synchronic corpus study: Adjectives of difference Adjectives of identity Adjectives of similarity Adjectives of comparison in postnominal position Diachronic corpus studies: diachronic corpus study of six adjectives of comparison Diachronic corpus study of six adjectives of difference.