Constructions and Environments: Copular, Passive, and Related Constructions in Old and Middle English (Oxford Studies in the History of English) Book PDF, ePub eBook

Join our eBook service for unlimited books & audiobooks. Get a free 7 day subscription! ↓↓↓↓↓


Book Descriptions:
This monograph presents the first comprehensive diachronic account of copular and passive verb constructions in Old and Middle English. Peter Petré analyzes:

· The mysterious loss of the high-frequency verb weorðan 'become' as a casualty of changing word order in narrative during Middle English.
· The merger of is 'is' and bið 'shall be, is generally' into a single suppletive verb, and how it is related to the development of a general analytic future shall be.
· The co-occurrence of multiple changes that led to become and wax crossing a threshold of similarity with existing copulas, from which they analogically adopted full productivity in one fell swoop.

In explaining each of these changes, Petré goes beyond the level of the verb and its complements, drawing attention to analogical networks and the importance of a verb's embeddedness in clausal and textual environments.

Using a radically usage-based approach, treating syntax as emerging from (changing) frequencies, Petré draws attention to general principles of constructional change, including but not limited to grammaticalization and lexicalization. He proposes novel parallelisms between linguistic and ecological evolution. Going beyond the view of language change as propagating only in social interaction, Petré explains how each individual's mental grammar can be seen as a dynamic ecosystem with hierarchical environments (clausal niches, textual habitats). In this view, the interconnectedness of seemingly unrelated changes, itself resulting from cognitive economy principles, is arguably more decisive in lexical change than is functional competition.

Constructions and Environments: Copular, Passive, and Related Constructions in Old and Middle English (Oxford Studies in the History of English) by Peter Petré

From reader reviews:

Richard Reardon:

The book Constructions and Environments: Copular, Passive, and Related Constructions in Old and Middle English (Oxford Studies in the History of English) can give more knowledge and also the precise product information about everything you want. So just why must we leave the good thing like a book Constructions and Environments: Copular, Passive, and Related Constructions in Old and Middle English (Oxford Studies in the History of English)? A number of you have a different opinion about publication. But one aim which book can give many info for us. It is absolutely appropriate. Right now, try to closer along with your book. Knowledge or info that you take for that, it is possible to give for each other; you are able to share all of these. Book Constructions and Environments: Copular, Passive, and Related Constructions in Old and Middle English (Oxford Studies in the History of English) has simple shape however you know: it has great and big function for you. You can look the enormous world by start and read a e-book. So it is very wonderful.

Sean Lee:

This Constructions and Environments: Copular, Passive, and Related Constructions in Old and Middle English (Oxford Studies in the History of English) are generally reliable for you who want to become a successful person, why. The reason why of this Constructions and Environments: Copular, Passive, and Related Constructions in Old and Middle English (Oxford Studies in the History of English) can be among the great books you must have will be giving you more than just simple looking at food but feed you actually with information that maybe will shock your before knowledge. This book is handy, you can bring it all over the place and whenever your conditions at e-book and printed kinds. Beside that this Constructions and Environments: Copular, Passive, and Related Constructions in Old and Middle English (Oxford Studies in the History of English) forcing you to have an enormous of experience for example rich vocabulary, giving you demo of critical thinking that we know it useful in your day activity. So , let's have it appreciate reading.

Cedric Barnett:

As we know that book is essential thing to add our knowledge for everything. By a guide we can know everything we would like. A book is a group of written, printed, illustrated or even blank sheet. Every year had been exactly added. This reserve Constructions and Environments: Copular, Passive, and Related Constructions in Old and Middle English (Oxford Studies in the History of English) was filled about science. Spend your extra time to add your knowledge about your technology competence. Some people has several feel when they reading a new book. If you know how big benefit of a book, you can sense enjoy to read a book. In the modern era like today, many ways to get book you wanted.

Linda Meier:

As a pupil exactly feel bored to help reading. If their teacher asked them to go to the library as well as to make summary for some e-book, they are complained. Just small students that has reading's spirit or real their hobby. They just do what the educator want, like asked to go to the library. They go to right now there but nothing reading significantly. Any students feel that examining is not important, boring as well as can't see colorful photographs on there. Yeah, it is for being complicated. Book is very important for you. As we know that on this time, many ways to get whatever we want. Likewise word says, ways to reach Chinese's country. So , this Constructions and Environments: Copular, Passive, and Related Constructions in Old and Middle English (Oxford Studies in the History of English) can make you truly feel more interested to read.