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This book shows how the generative approach to linguistics may be used to understand how languages change. Generative diachronic syntax has developed since the inception of the principles and parameters approach to comparative syntax in the early 1980s: it has become increasingly important in historical linguistics and generative theory, acting as a bridge between them and providing insights to both. Ian Roberts relates work in historical linguistics to contemporary work on universal grammar and historical syntactic variation. He explains how standard questions in historical linguistics - including word-order change, grammaticalization, and reanalysis - can be explored in terms of current generative theory. He examines the nature of the links between syntactic change and first-language acquisition and considers the short and long-term effects of language contact. Professor Roberts provides numerous examples from a range of different languages, guides to further reading, and a comprehensive glossary. This is the ideal textbook introduction for students of syntactic change.
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oxford textbooks in linguistics
Diachronic Syntax
Ox f o r d T e x t b o o k s i n L i n g u i s t i c s General editors: Keith Brown, University of Cambridge; Eve V. Clark, Stanford University; April McMahon, University of Edinburgh; Jim Miller, University of Auckland; Lesley Milroy, University of Michigan This series provides lively and authoritative introductions to the approaches, methods, and theories associated with the main subWelds of linguistics. The Grammar of Words An Introduction to Linguistic Morphology by Geert Booij A Practical Introduction to Phonetics Second edition by J. C. Catford Meaning in Language An Introduction to Semantics and Pragmatics Second edition by Alan Cruse Principles and Parameters An Introduction to Syntactic Theory by Peter W. Culicover A Semantic Approach to English Grammar by R. M. W. Dixon Semantic Analysis A Practical Introduction by CliV Goddard Pragmatics by Yan Huang Diachronic Syntax by Ian Roberts Cognitive Grammar An Introduction by John R. Taylor Linguistic Categorization Third edition by John R. Taylor
Diachronic Syntax
Ian Roberts
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3 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford ox2 6dp Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Auckland Cape Town Dar es Salaam Hong Kong Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Nairobi New Delhi Shanghai Taipei Toronto With oYces in Argentina Austria Brazil Chile Czech Republic France Greece Guatemala Hungary Italy Japan Poland Portugal Singapore South Korea Switzerland Thailand Turkey Ukraine Vietnam Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries Published in the United States by Oxford University Press Inc., New York ß Ian Roberts 2007 The moral rights of the author have been asserted Database right Oxford University Press (maker) First published 2007 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organization. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above You must not circulate this book in any other binding or cover and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Data available Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Data available Typeset by SPI Publisher Services, Pondiche