Types of Variation
Diachronic, dialectal and typological interfaces
Published on 1. June 2006
Book
Hardback
378 pages
978-90-272-3086-7 (ISBN)
Description
This volume interfaces three fields of linguistics rarely discussed in the same context. Its underlying theme is linguistic variation, and the ways in which historical linguists and dialectologists may learn from insights offered by typology, and vice versa. The aim of the contributions is to raise the awareness of these linguistic subdisciplines of each other and to encourage their cross-fertilization to their mutual benefit. If linguistic typology is to unify the study of all types of linguistic variation, this variation, both diatopic and diachronic, will enrich typological research itself. With the aim of capturing the relevant dimensions of variation, the studies in this volume make use of new methodologies, including electronic corpora and databases, which enable cross- and intralinguistic comparisons dialectally and across time. Based on original research and unified by an innovative theme, the volume will be of interest to both students and teachers of linguistics and Germanic languages.
Reviews / Votes
Much as in social science overall, compartmentalization in linguistics is increasingly giving way to integrated, interdisciplinary approaches. The current volume nicely illustrates what such an approach may mean for the study of language variation, be it historical, cross-linguistic, or regional. In particular, this approach does away with the myth of linguistic homogeneity, which has conveniently shielded generations of langue- or competence-oriented linguists from the intricacies of linguistic reality. Inspired by the significant advances we have seen in language typology, sociolinguistics, dialectology (especially in the domain of dialect syntax), historical linguistics (in particular, grammaticalization research), and corpus linguistics, the current volume seeks to explore the interfaces between three of these subdisciplines dealing with variation within and across languages by pulling together their core findings to their mutual benefit. The volume editors are to be commended for having pursued this exciting new line of linguistic research and for having compiled a volume which is no doubt soon going to be recognized as a milestone publication for the - still nascent - integrated, or dynamic, approach to the study of language variation. -- Professor Bernd Kortmann, University of FreiburgMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 245 mm
Width: 164 mm
Weight
860 gr
ISBN-13
978-90-272-3086-7 (9789027230867)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Terttu Nevalainen | Juhani Klemola | Mikko Laitinen
Types of Variation
Diachronic, dialectal and typological interfaces
E-Book
06/2006
1st Edition
John Benjamins Publishing Company
€149.99
Available for download
Persons
Content
1. Part I: Typology and grammaticalization; 2. 'Triangulation' of diachrony, dialectology and typology: An overview (by Nevalainen, Terttu); 3. Bi-directional vs. uni-directional asymmetries in the encoding of semantic distinctions in free and bound person forms (by Siewierska, Anna); 4. Part II: Diachrony and typology; 5. Historical morphology from a typological point of view: Examples from English (by Kastovsky, Dieter); 6. Typology and comparative linguistics: Jakobson revisited (by Krasukhin, Konstantin G.); 7. Primary adjectives in English and German: Variation and change in diachrony and typology (by Schoneborn, Thomas); 8. The concessive connective albeit: A diachronic corpus-based study (by Sorva, Elina); 9. Possessives and determiners in Old English (by Allen, Cynthia L.); 10. Analytic of the samyn or synthetic its?: The use of neuter possessives in Older Scots texts (by Bugaj, Joanna); 11. Expressing human indefiniteness in English: T239ypology and markedness of pronouns (by Laitinen, Mikko); 12. Part III: Dialectology and typology; 13. Dialect and typology: Where they meet - and where they don't (by Abraham, Werner); 14. Somerset relativizers revisited (by Peitsara, Kirsti); 15. Resilient or yielding?: Features of Irish English syntax and aspect in early Australia (by Fritz, Clemens); 16. Part IV: Dialectology, typology and diachrony; 17. Negative indefinites: A typological and diachronic perspective on a Brabantic construction (by Auwera, Johan van der); 18. The relatives who and what in northern East Anglia (by Poussa, Patricia); 19. Vernacular universals?: The case of plural was in Early Modern English (by Nevalainen, Terttu); 20. Indexes