Morphosyntactic Change: Functional and Formal Perspectives (Oxford Surveys in Syntax and Morphology) (Oxford Surveys in Syntax & Morphology)

This book presents a critical comparison of the two leading theories of linguistic change. After introducing the aims and methods of historical linguistics, Olga Fischer provides an exposition of the main theories used to describe morphosyntactic change and a full account of the causes and mechanisms by which their leading exponents seek to explain it. She measures the effectiveness of rival theories and methods in different contexts and in the process throws fresh light on the balance of factors influencing linguistic change. Professor Fischer emphazises the unity of form and meaning in the linguistic sign and examines the role played by analogy. She looks at how changes in discourse, lexicon, semantics, pragmatics, and sound interact with changes in morphosyntax, and explores the relationship between external and internal causes of change. She considers whether morphosyntactic change is gradual or abrupt and discusses how far rates of change reflect the degree to which grammar is innate or learned. She uses detailed case studies to illustrate different types of morphosyntactic change, and to show how each theory fares when put into practice. The author's clear style and her balanced approach to this fascinating and complex subject combine to make this a book that will be of central interest and value to scholars and students of linguistic change, at graduate level and above. A Critical Comparison Of Morphosyntactic Change And The Mechanisms That Trigger It, This Book Shows How Changes In Discourse, Lexicon, Semantics, Pragmatics, And Sound Interact With Changes In Morphosyntax, And Considers The Interface Between The Internal And External Factors Of Change. 1. What Is 'good Practice' In Historical Linguistics : Aims And Methods -- 2. Conflict And Reconciliation : Two Theories Compared -- 3. Principles, Mechanisms, And Causes Of Change -- 4. A Paradigm Case : The Story Of The Modals (and Other Auxiliaries) -- 5. From Discourse To (morpho)syntax And Vice Versa : The Case Of Clause-fusion -- 6. Subjectification, Scope, And Word Order -- 7. Towards A Usage-based Theory Of Morphosyntactic Change : Summary And Conclusions. Olga Fischer. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [331]-359) And Indexes.

Olga Fischer presents a critical analysis of morphosyntactic change and the mechanisms that trigger it. She shows how changes in discourse, lexicon, semantics, pragmatics, and sound interact with changes in morphosyntax, and considers the interface between the internal and external factors of change. She reveals how rates and speed of change in morphosyntax can be used to explore the degree to which grammar is innate or learned. Her book will be of central interest and value to students of linguistic change, at graduate level and above.

The main aim of this volume is to consider a number of important issues in morphosyntactic change by comparing and contrasting two major approaches in this area: the formal, generative (Principles and Parameters, henceforth P&P) approach and the (mainly f