Documentation

Linglib.Theories.Diachronic.Grammaticalization

Grammaticalization #

@cite{heine-1993} @cite{anderson-2006} @cite{bybee-perkins-pagliuca-1994} @cite{lehmann-1985} @cite{heine-kuteva-2002} @cite{hopper-traugott-2003}

Grammaticalization: the diachronic process by which lexical items become grammatical markers. The cline of verbal grammaticalization formalized here is the 5-stage variant:

full verb → auxiliarycliticaffixzero

Attribution #

The verbal cline is anchored on @cite{heine-1993} ch. 3 (the source @cite{anderson-2006} cites at p. 5 as Heine (1993: 48ff.)). Anderson's own running shorthand at p. 5 collapses to three stages (L[exical] V[erb] >> A[uxiliary] V > AF[fi]X); the 5-stage form here splits Heine's continuum at the canonical clitic/affix/zero boundaries also used by @cite{lehmann-1985} and @cite{hopper-traugott-2003}.

Caveat (@cite{heine-1993} p. 66, endorsed by @cite{anderson-2006} p. 5): "we are dealing with chains [of grammaticalization] and since chains are by definition continuous structures, setting up stages along these structures must remain an arbitrary and/or artificial endeavor." The discrete enum below is a working approximation; consumer files that need finer-grained transitions should pair GramStage with their own intermediate-state predicates rather than treat the 5 cases as exhaustive.

This process is cross-linguistically unidirectional: movement is always toward greater morphological boundedness (@cite{lehmann-1985}, @cite{hopper-traugott-2003}).

Main definitions #

Connections #

Stage on the grammaticalization cline for verbal elements. Cline anchored on @cite{heine-1993} for the broad path LV >> AV >> AFFIX; the specific 5-stage segmentation (fullVerb / auxiliary / clitic / affix / zero) is a coarsening drawn from @cite{lehmann-1985} and @cite{hopper-traugott-2003} ch. 6, NOT a direct rendering of Heine's own staging (Heine 1993 §2.4.2 uses a finer 7-stage A-G chain: concrete-source → starting-down → budding → defective → linguistic-hybrid → firmly-grammaticalized → orphaning). @cite{anderson-2006} p. 5 attributes the LV >> AV > AFX path to Heine 1993:48ff. without committing to a specific stage count; ch. 7 traces grammaticalization of source constructions onto whatever cline the framework adopts. The 5-stage enum here is the linglib working approximation, not Heine's own taxonomy.

  • fullVerb : GramStage

    Lexical verb with full argument structure.

  • auxiliary : GramStage

    Grammaticalized verb, restricted morphosyntax.

  • clitic : GramStage

    Phonologically reduced, syntactically dependent.

  • affix : GramStage

    Bound morpheme, part of the verbal word.

  • zero : GramStage

    No overt marker (grammaticalization endpoint).

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      def Diachronic.Grammaticalization.isUnidirectional (_s₁ _s₂ : GramStage) (_h : _s₁ < _s₂) :

      Unidirectionality: grammaticalization never reverses. Formalized as: if a language has a marker at stage s₂ that historically derives from stage s₁, then s₁ < s₂.

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        The .affix stage is strictly more grammaticalized (more morphologically bound) than the .auxiliary stage. Used by Phenomena/AuxiliaryVerbs/NegativeAuxiliaries.lean to compare the cline placement of negative affixes vs negative verbs.

        Diachronic source construction from which an AVC grammaticalizes. @cite{anderson-2006} §7, @cite{heine-kuteva-2002}.

        • serialVerb : AVCSource

          Serial verb constructions: two verbs in sequence, one grammaticalizes into an auxiliary. Common in West African, SE Asian.

        • complementTaking : AVCSource

          Complement-taking verb: matrix verb takes clausal complement, the matrix verb grammaticalizes. Common source for modals.

        • motionVerb : AVCSource

          Motion verb: 'go'/'come' grammaticalize into future/past markers. Cross-linguistically one of the most common paths.

        • posturalVerb : AVCSource

          Postural verb: 'sit'/'stand'/'lie' grammaticalize into progressive/habitual aspect markers.

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