The Cambridge Handbook of Historical Syntax (Cambridge Handbooks in Language and Linguistics)

The Cambridge Handbook of Historical Syntax:Change is an inherent feature of all aspects of language, and syntax is no exception. While the synchronic study of syntax allows us to make discoveries about the nature of syntactic structure, the study of historical syntax offers even greater possibilities. Over recent decades, the study of historical syntax has proven to be a powerful scientific tool of enquiry with which to challenge and reassess hypotheses and ideas about the nature of syntactic structure which go beyond the observed limits of the study of the synchronic syntax of individual languages or language families. In this timely handbook, the editors bring together the best of recent international scholarship on historical syntax. Each chapter is focused on a theme rather than an individual language, allowing readers to discover how systematic descriptions of historical data can profitably inform and challenge highly diverse sets of theoretical assumptions Syntax Is An Indispensable Part Of The Study Of Grammaticalization But Initially It Was Backgrounded In Comparison To The Above-mentioned Fields. This Has Something To Do With The Intellectual Environment In Which Modern Grammaticalization Studies Emerged. The Study Of Grammaticalization Was Part Of A Movement That Revolted Against The Overwhelming Dominance Of Generative Linguistics In Theoretical Linguistics Of The 1960s And Early 1970s, Which Seemingly Tried To Reduce The Study Of Language To The Statement Of Syntactic (and, Perhaps, Phonological) Rules. Generative Syntax Was Perceived As The Extreme Off-shoot Of Structuralism, And Scholars Were Looking For Paradigms Countering Or Offering An Alternative To Structuralism And Structuralist Analysis-- Types And Mechanisms Of Syntactic Change -- Methods And Tools -- Principles And Constraints -- Major Issues And Themes -- Explanations -- Models And Approaches. Edited By Adam Ledgeway And Ian Roberts. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "Syntax is an indispensable part of the study of grammaticalization but initially it was backgrounded in comparison to the above-mentioned fields. This has something to do with the intellectual environment in which modern grammaticalization studies emerged. The study of grammaticalization was part of a movement that revolted against the overwhelming dominance of generative linguistics in theoretical linguistics of the 1960s and early 1970s, which seemingly tried to reduce the study of language to the statement of syntactic (and, perhaps, phonological) rules. Generative syntax was perceived as the extreme off-shoot of structuralism, and scholars were looking for paradigms countering or offering an alternative to structuralism and structuralist analysis"-- Provided by publisher a.pdf 000.pdf 000a.pdf 001.pdf 001a.pdf 002.pdf 003.pdf 004.pdf 005.pdf 006.pdf 007.pdf 008.pdf 009.pdf 009a.pdf 010.pdf 011.pdf 012.pdf 013.pdf 013a.pdf 014.pdf 015.pdf 016.pdf 017.pdf 018.pdf 019.pdf 019a.pdf 020.pdf 021.pdf 022.pdf 023.pdf 023a.pdf 024.pdf 025.pdf 026.pdf 027.pdf 027a.pdf 028.pdf 029.pdf 030.pdf 031.pdf 032.pdf 033.pdf With individual chapters embracing different theoretical perspectives, from the purely descriptive to formal analyses of novel data, this Handbook provides readers with an exhaustive treatment of historical syntax, and is an invaluable resource for postgraduates and researchers in the field.