Morphosyntactic Change
Home > Language, Linguistics & Creative Writing > Linguistics > Historical and comparative linguistics > Morphosyntactic Change: Functional and Formal Perspectives(Oxford Surveys in Syntax & Morphology)
Morphosyntactic Change: Functional and Formal Perspectives(Oxford Surveys in Syntax & Morphology)

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


     0     
5
4
3
2
1



International Edition


X
About the Book

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.

Table of Contents:
Part I General Issues in Morphosyntactic 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 Part II Case Studies 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 References Index

About the Author :
Olga Fischer is Professor of Germanic Linguistics at the University of Amsterdam, where her PhD thesis Syntactic Change and Causation: Developments in Infinitival Constructions in English was accepted in 1990. She is a contributor to the Cambridge History of the English Language (CUP 1992), co-author of The Syntax of Early English (CUP 2000), and co-editor of Form Miming Meaning and Pathways of Change (Benjamins 2000 and 2001).

Review :
It is clear that this is a most welcome, challenging and insightful book, which is undoubtedly required reading for anyone interested in the processes of morphosyntactic change. I found Fischer's evaluation of grammaticalization theory enlightening...work is ambitious, wide ranging undertaking, and is a valuable contribution to the limited but growing body of research that works towards bringing together teo seemingly disparate approaches to language change. ...an important book that deserves critical reading and careful thought. It will bring to a higher level current debates on analogy, gradualness, gradience, constuctions, and chunks of linguistic materials.


Best Sellers


Product Details
  • ISBN-13: 9780199267057
  • Publisher: Oxford University Press
  • Binding: Paperback
  • Language: English
  • Returnable: N
  • Spine Width: 20 mm
  • Weight: 694 gr
  • ISBN-10: 0199267057
  • Publisher Date: 14 Dec 2006
  • Height: 245 mm
  • No of Pages: 398
  • Series Title: Oxford Surveys in Syntax & Morphology
  • Sub Title: Functional and Formal Perspectives
  • Width: 170 mm


Similar Products

Add Photo
Add Photo

Customer Reviews

REVIEWS      0     
Click Here To Be The First to Review this Product
Morphosyntactic Change: Functional and Formal Perspectives(Oxford Surveys in Syntax & Morphology)
Oxford University Press -
Morphosyntactic Change: Functional and Formal Perspectives(Oxford Surveys in Syntax & Morphology)
Writing guidlines
We want to publish your review, so please:
  • keep your review on the product. Review's that defame author's character will be rejected.
  • Keep your review focused on the product.
  • Avoid writing about customer service. contact us instead if you have issue requiring immediate attention.
  • Refrain from mentioning competitors or the specific price you paid for the product.
  • Do not include any personally identifiable information, such as full names.

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

Required fields are marked with *

Review Title*
Review
    Add Photo Add up to 6 photos
    Would you recommend this product to a friend?
    Tag this Book Read more
    Does your review contain spoilers?
    What type of reader best describes you?
    I agree to the terms & conditions
    You may receive emails regarding this submission. Any emails will include the ability to opt-out of future communications.

    CUSTOMER RATINGS AND REVIEWS AND QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TERMS OF USE

    These Terms of Use govern your conduct associated with the Customer Ratings and Reviews and/or Questions and Answers service offered by Bookswagon (the "CRR Service").


    By submitting any content to Bookswagon, you guarantee that:
    • You are the sole author and owner of the intellectual property rights in the content;
    • All "moral rights" that you may have in such content have been voluntarily waived by you;
    • All content that you post is accurate;
    • You are at least 13 years old;
    • Use of the content you supply does not violate these Terms of Use and will not cause injury to any person or entity.
    You further agree that you may not submit any content:
    • That is known by you to be false, inaccurate or misleading;
    • That infringes any third party's copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret or other proprietary rights or rights of publicity or privacy;
    • That violates any law, statute, ordinance or regulation (including, but not limited to, those governing, consumer protection, unfair competition, anti-discrimination or false advertising);
    • That is, or may reasonably be considered to be, defamatory, libelous, hateful, racially or religiously biased or offensive, unlawfully threatening or unlawfully harassing to any individual, partnership or corporation;
    • For which you were compensated or granted any consideration by any unapproved third party;
    • That includes any information that references other websites, addresses, email addresses, contact information or phone numbers;
    • That contains any computer viruses, worms or other potentially damaging computer programs or files.
    You agree to indemnify and hold Bookswagon (and its officers, directors, agents, subsidiaries, joint ventures, employees and third-party service providers, including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc.), harmless from all claims, demands, and damages (actual and consequential) of every kind and nature, known and unknown including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising out of a breach of your representations and warranties set forth above, or your violation of any law or the rights of a third party.


    For any content that you submit, you grant Bookswagon a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, transferable right and license to use, copy, modify, delete in its entirety, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from and/or sell, transfer, and/or distribute such content and/or incorporate such content into any form, medium or technology throughout the world without compensation to you. Additionally,  Bookswagon may transfer or share any personal information that you submit with its third-party service providers, including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc. in accordance with  Privacy Policy


    All content that you submit may be used at Bookswagon's sole discretion. Bookswagon reserves the right to change, condense, withhold publication, remove or delete any content on Bookswagon's website that Bookswagon deems, in its sole discretion, to violate the content guidelines or any other provision of these Terms of Use.  Bookswagon does not guarantee that you will have any recourse through Bookswagon to edit or delete any content you have submitted. Ratings and written comments are generally posted within two to four business days. However, Bookswagon reserves the right to remove or to refuse to post any submission to the extent authorized by law. You acknowledge that you, not Bookswagon, are responsible for the contents of your submission. None of the content that you submit shall be subject to any obligation of confidence on the part of Bookswagon, its agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners or third party service providers (including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc.)and their respective directors, officers and employees.

    Accept

    New Arrivals


    Inspired by your browsing history


    Your review has been submitted!

    You've already reviewed this product!