The Definiteness Cycle in Germanic

Elly Van Gelderen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

33 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this paper, I provide examples from Germanic of cyclical changes involving the nominal phrase. Using a DP structure, it can be observed that demonstratives in specifier positions of the DP are reanalyzed through time as articles in head positions. The change from demonstrative to article is known as the definiteness cycle and described in Greenberg 1978 and Lyons 1999. Providing examples from Old Norse, Old English, and Afrikaans, I suggest an explanation for the cycle in terms of a cognitive principle, Feature Economy, that assists in language acquisition and hence language change.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)275-308
Number of pages34
JournalJournal of Germanic Linguistics
Volume19
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2007

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Language and Linguistics
  • Linguistics and Language
  • Literature and Literary Theory

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