The Development of Latin Clause Structure: A Study of the Extended Verb Phrase (Oxford Studies in Diachronic and Historical Linguistics)

This book examines Latin word order, and in particular the relative ordering of i) lexical verbs and direct objects (OV vs VO) and ii) auxiliaries and non-finite verbs (VAux vs AuxV). In Latin these elements can freely be ordered with respect to each other, whereas the present-day Romance languages only allow for the head-initial orders VO and AuxV. Lieven Danckaert offers a detailed, corpus-based description of these two word order alternations, focusing on their diachronic development in the period from c. 200 BC until 600 AD. The corpus data reveal that some received wisdom needs to be reconsidered: there is in fact no evidence for any major increase in productivity of the order VO during the eight centuries under investigation, and the order AuxV only becomes more frequent in clauses with a modal verb and an infinitive, not in clauses with a BE-auxiliary and a past participle. The book also explores a more fundamental question about Latin syntax, namely whether or not the language is configurational, in the sense that a phrase structure grammar (with 'higher-order constituents' such as verb phrases) is needed to describe and analyse Latin word order patterns. Four pieces of evidence are presented that suggest that Latin is indeed a fully configurational language, despite its high degree of word order flexibility. Specifically, it is shown that there is ample evidence for the existence of a verb phrase constituent. The book thus contributes to the ongoing debate regarding the status of configurationality as a language universal. The focus of this book is Latin word order, and in particular the relative ordering of direct objects and lexical verbs (OV vs. VO), and auxiliaries and non-finite verbs (VAux vs. AuxV). One aim of the book is to offer a first detailed, corpus-based description of these two word order alternations, with special emphasis on their diachronic development in the period from __ca__. 200 BC until 600 AD. The corpus data reveal that some received wisdom needs to be reconsidered. For one thing, there is no evidence for any major increase in productivity of the order VO during the eight centuries under investigation. In addition, the order AuxV only becomes more frequent in clauses with a modal verb and an infinitive, not in clauses with a BE-auxiliary and a past participle. A second goal is to answer a more fundamental question about Latin syntax, namely whether or not the language is ‘configurational’, in the sense that a phrase structure grammar (with ‘higher-order constituents’ such as verb phrases) is needed to describe and analyse facts of Latin word order. Four pieces of evidence are presented which suggest that Latin is indeed a fully configurational language, despite its high degree of word order flexibility. Specifically, it is shown that there is ample evidence for the existence of a verb phrase constituent. The book thus contributes to the ongoing debate whether configurationality (phrase structure) is a language universal or not. This Book Examines Latin Word Order, And In Particular The Relative Ordering Of I) Lexical Verbs And Direct Objects (ov Vs Vo) And Ii) Auxiliaries And Non-finite Verbs (vaux Vs Auxv). In Latin These Elements Can Freely Be Ordered With Respect To Each Other, Whereas The Present-day Romance Languages Only Allow For The Head-initial Orders Vo And Auxv. Lieven Danckaert Offers A Detailed, Corpus-based Description Of These Two Word Order Alternations, Focusing On Their Diachronic Development In The Period From C. 200 Bc Until 600 Ad. The Corpus Data Reveal That Some Received Wisdom Needs To Be Reconsidered: There Is In Fact No Evidence For Any Major Increase In Productivity Of The Order Vo During The Eight Centuries Under Investigation, And The Order Auxv Only Becomes More Frequent In Clauses With A Modal Verb And An Infinitive, Not In Clauses With A Be-auxiliary And A Past Participle. The Book Also Explores A More Fundamental Question About Latin Syntax, Namely Whether Or Not The Language Is Configurational, In The Sense That A Phrase Structure Grammar (with 'higher-order Constituents' Such As Verb Phrases) Is Needed To Describe And Analyse Latin Word Order Patterns. Lieven Jozef Maria Danckaert. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. La quatrième de couverture indique: "This book examines Latin word order, and in particular the relative ordering of i) lexical verbs and direct objects (OV vs VO) and ii) auxiliaries and non-finite verbs (VAux vs AuxV). In Latin these elements can freely be ordered with respect to each other, whereas the present-day Romance languages only allow for the head-initial orders VO and AuxV. Lieven Danckaert offers a detailed, corpus-based description of these two word order alternations, focusing on their diachronic development in the period from c. 200 BC until 600 AD. The corpus data reveal that some received wisdom needs to be reconsidered: there is in fact no evidence for any major increase in productivity of the order VO during the eight centuries under investigation, and the order AuxV only becomes more frequent in clauses with a modal verb and an infinitive, not in clauses with a BE-auxiliary and a past participle. The book also explores a more fundamental question about Latin syntax, namely whether or not the language is configurational, in the sense that a phrase structure grammar (with 'higher-order constituents' such as verb phrases) is needed to describe and analyse Latin word order patterns. (...)." This book examines Latin word order patterns, in particular the relative ordering of i) lexical verbs and direct objects and ii) auxiliaries and non-finite verbs. Lieven Danckaert offers a corpus-based description of these alternations and demonstrates that Latin is a fully configurational language, contrary to received wisdom