Syntactic Change in Welsh: A Study of the Loss of the Verb-Second - Couverture rigide

Willis, David W. E.

 
9780198237594: Syntactic Change in Welsh: A Study of the Loss of the Verb-Second
Couverture rigide
ISBN 10 : 0198237596 ISBN 13 : 9780198237594
Editeur : Oxford University Press, 1998

Synopsis

Welsh is often cited as an exemplary case of verb-initial language. While this is generally true of the language today, earlier written texts show widespread use of subject-initial, object-initial, and other word orders. David Willis challenges the conventional view that these orders were restricted to an artificial literary register, claiming instead that they were alive in spoken Welsh up until the Early Modern period. He looks at Middle Welsh word order within a Principles and Parameters framework, showing extensive parallelisms between Middle Welsh and verb-second systems in Germanic and Romance languages. He also provides rich documentation of syntactic change in Welsh, showing for the first time how the transition from the verb-second rule of Middle Welsh to the verb-initial system of Contemporary Welsh took place. He examines a case study of a verb-second system outside of the Germanic languages, investigates how such systems have come to be lost over time, and raises questions about the fundamental mechanisms of language change.

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Présentation de l'éditeur

Welsh is often cited as an exemplary case of verb-initial language. While this is generally true of the language today, earlier written texts show widespread use of subject-initial, object-initial, and other word orders. David Willis challenges the conventional view that these orders were restricted to an artificial literary register, claiming instead that they were alive in spoken Welsh up until the Early Modern period. He looks at Middle Welsh word order within a Principles and Parameters framework, showing extensive parallelisms between Middle Welsh and verb-second systems in Germanic and Romance languages. He also provides rich documentation of syntactic change in Welsh, showing for the first time how the transition from the verb-second rule of Middle Welsh to the verb-initial system of Contemporary Welsh took place. He examines a case study of a verb-second system outside of the Germanic languages, investigates how such systems have come to be lost over time, and raises questions about the fundamental mechanisms of language change.

Revue de presse

An important contribution to general historical linguistics, and a milestone in Celtic linguistics ... an exciting and thought-provoking book, and indispensable reading for anybody interested in the history of Welsh syntax and/or in the P&P approach to syntactic change. (General Linguistics)

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Éditeur
Oxford University Press
Date d'édition
1998
Langue
anglais
ISBN 10 
0198237596
ISBN 13 
9780198237594
Reliure
Relié
Nombre de pages
320
Coordonnées du fabricant
non disponible
Personne responsable
Ufficio Anagrafiche Messaggerie
ufficio.anagrafiche@meli.it

Via Verdi, 8
Assago Milano
20090
Italie