Post on 18-Dec-2015
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Contents
Typologically informed comparative linguistics
From states to transitions From transitions to processes Grammaticalization (cline) Semantic maps
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Typologically informed comparative linguistics
Jakobson, Greenberg Synchronically derived language universals
should not be violated in historical reconstruction
Jakobson on PIE stops Assumption: uniformitarianism
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Typologically informed comparative linguistics
Absolute vs. statistical universals Can we apply statistical observations
to individual reconstructions?
Song: yes we can After all, the task is to reconstruct
probable (rather than possible) language states
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From states to transitions
Greenberg: dynamicization of typology
typological constraints regulate language type shift, not properties of language population (Croft, Cristofaro)
connectivity hypothesis – languages of any one type may develop into languages of any other type (perhaps passing through other types)
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Frequency and stability
Greenberg Stability (out>) Frequency (>in) Связь с генеалогической и
географической дистрибуцией genealogical concentration geographical spread (worldwide)
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Frequency and stability
areal genealogical
cross-typing Example features
wide consistent frequent & stable adpositions, SVO, SOV
wide inconsistent
frequent & unstable nasal vowels, definite articles
rare consistent infrequent & stable vowel harmony, VSO
rare inconsistent
infrequent & unstable
OVS
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Transitory states
Prep & NG
Prep & GN
Post & NG
Post & GN
Predicted:
*
*
Attested:
70
22
10
150
These *types must be possible! Why?
(Dryer 2001, quoted by Croft)
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Markedness dynamicized
Origin LossStructural coding:A non-zero morpheme to indicate a marked value will arise first
A non-zero morpheme to indicate a marked value will be lost last
Behavorial property:A grammatical ditinction will arise in the unmarked value of a cross-cutting category first
A grammatical distinction will be lost in the unmarked value of a cross-cutting category first
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From transitions to processes
States: L with no articles -> L with articles BYP…what exactly happened?
Processes: deictic dems -> anaphoric dems ->
articles
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From transitions to processes
“In the same way that contemporary linguistics, including typology, seeks universals of language structure, historical linguistics seeks universals of processes of language change. Diachronic typology is historical linguistics using a typological method” (p. 246)
E.g.: Каталог семантических переходов (Анна А. Зализняк et al.)
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From transitions to processes
“In the same way that contemporary linguistics, including typology, seeks universals of language structure, historical linguistics seeks universals of processes of language change. Diachronic typology is historical linguistics using a typological method” (p. 246)
But: what is the source of these generalizations?
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From transitions to processes
Language variation …is language change in progress
(Labovian) Innovation and propagation (diffusion)
in typology - Croft
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From transitions to processes
Intragenetic typology (Greenberg) on assumption that the observed
variation across sister languages represents different stages of change from the protolanguage Greenberg on word order in Ethiosemitic
Kibrik used intragenetic typology for synchronic functional interpretation, not diachronic explanation
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From transitions to processes
Greenberg on word order in Ethiosemitic Ge’ez: VSO, prep, AN, Ngen Daughter languages vary in all, but: Adj/N > Gen/N > Adp
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From transitions to processes
Greenberg on word order in Ethiosemitic Ge’ez: VSO, prep, AN, Ngen Daughter languages:
VSO & NA & NG & Prep (Ge’ez) SOV/vso & AN/NA & NG & Prep (Tigre) SOV & AN(na) & NG & Prep (Tigrinya) SOV & AN & GN & Prep N Post (Amharic) SOV & AN & GN & Prep N Post (Old
Harari) SOV & AN & GN & Post (Harari)
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From transitions to processes
Cross-linguistic comparability problems of the same order as in synchronic typology
Both Greek and Spanish: *s > hBut:
In Greek, the change first happened word-inititally and intervocally, and then spread
In Spanish, the change first took place in the word final and post-consonantal position and then spread
Are these two instances of the same change?
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From transitions to processes
Unidirectionality failure? đ -> d and d -> đBut is this the same process? đ -> d ~ θ -> t d -> đ ~ g -> γ ~ b -> βInterpretation of change requires
systemic context
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Unidirectionality vs. connectivity?
Changes are unidirectional Transitions between language states
are cyclic WTH? Once again:
Transitions is what happens to languages
Processes is what happens to linguistic elements
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Pragmatic inference (VLPL)
We are going to London[movement [intention [future]]]
We are going to have a party[movement [intention [future]]]
The trees are going to crack…[movement [intention [future]]]
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Decategorialization (VLPL)
... or recategorization DistributionalFrench pas does not form an NP InflectionalFrench pas does not take articleThe books that / *those I lost(VLPL)
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Grammaticalization cline
Content > Functional Item > Clitic > Inflectional Affix
Unidirectionality
Degrammaticalization?
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Sources: guess whence
Heine, Kuteva 2002 Некоторые
любопытные источники грамматикализации
фр. chez? верификатив?