Stability, Variation and Change of Word-Order Patterns over Time (Current Issues in Linguistic Theory) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 9027237204 ISBN 13: 9789027237200

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2000

Synopsis

The issue of permanence and change of word-order patterns has long been debated in both historical linguistics and structural theories. The interest in this theme has been revamped by contemporary research in typology with its emphasis on correlation or ‘harmonies’ of structures of word-order as explicative principles of both synchronic and diachronic processes. The aim of this book is to stimulate a critical reconsideration of perspectives and methods in the study of continuities and discontinuities of word-order patterns. Bringing together contributions by specialists of various theoretical backgrounds and with expertise in different language families or groups (Caucasian, Hamito-Semitic, and ― among Indo-European ― Hittite, Greek, Celtic, Germanic, Slavonic, Romance), the book addresses issues like the notions of stability, variation and change of word-order and their interrelations, the interplay of syntactic and pragmatic factors, and the role of internal and external factors in synchronic and diachronic dynamics of word-order. The book contains a selection of papers presented at a workshop held at the XIII International Conference on Historical Linguistics (Düsseldorf, August 1997) and additonal invited contributions.

About this title

Language Notes

Text: English, French

Edition details

• Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing Company
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9027237204
• ISBN 13: 9789027237200
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 354
• Editor: Sornicola Rosanna, Poppe Erich, Shisha-Halevy Ariel