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The Diachrony of Classification Systems
Classification is a popular topic in typological, descriptive and theoretical linguistics. This volume is the first to deal specifically with the diachrony of linguistic systems of classification. It comprises original papers that examine the ways in which linguistic classification systems arise, change, and dissipate in both natural circumstances and in circumstances of attrition. The role of diffusion in such processes is explored, as well as the question of what can be diffused. The volume is not restricted to nominal systems of classification, but also includes papers dealing with the less well-known phenomenon of verbal classification. Languages from a wide spread of world regions are examined, including Africa, Amazonia, Australia, Eurasia, Oceania, and Mesoamerica. The volume will be of interest to linguistic typologists, descriptive linguists, historical linguists, and grammaticalization theorists.
[Current Issues in Linguistic Theory, 342] 2018. xi, 362 pp.
Publishing status: Available
Published online on 19 April 2018
Published online on 19 April 2018
© John Benjamins
Table of Contents
- Preface
- Abbreviations and conventions | pp. ix–xii
- IntroductionSøren Wichmann | pp. 1–8
- The semantic reduction of the noun universe and the diachrony of nominal classificationFrank Seifart | pp. 9–32
- Niger-Congo numeral classifiers in a diachronic perspectiveRoland Kießling | pp. 33–76
- Semantic generalization in Ch’orti’ Mayan numeral classifiersKerry Hull | pp. 77–106
- Diachronic and synchronic aspects of the simplification of grammatical gender in an obsolescent language: The case of IrishAlessio S. Frenda | pp. 107–134
- Numeral classifier systems in the Araxes-Iran linguistic areaDon Stilo | pp. 135–164
- The diachrony of Oceanic possessive classifiersFrantisek Lichtenberk† | pp. 165–200
- Development and diffusion of classifier systems in Southwestern AmazoniaHein van der Voort | pp. 201–240
- Nominal and verbal classification: A comparative perspectiveWalter Bisang | pp. 241–282
- The diachrony of inflectional classes in four Germanic languages: What happens after transparency is lost?Antje Dammel and Sebastian Kürschner | pp. 283–314
- The history of verb classification in Nyulnyulan languagesWilliam B. McGregor | pp. 315–352
- Author index
- Subject index | pp. 359–362
- Language index | pp. 355–358
“This book is a very instructive source of data and theoretical discussion for linguists and scientists working on typology, historical evolution of language and grammaticalization.”
Marc Tang, Uppsala University, in Linguistic Variation 19:2 (2019)
Cited by (4)
Cited by four other publications
Mansfield, John
Kilarski, Marcin & Marc Allassonnière-Tang
2023. Introduction. In Nominal Classification in Asia and Oceania [Current Issues in Linguistic Theory, 362], ► pp. 1 ff.
Merrill, John T. M.
2021. The evolution of consonant mutation and noun class marking in Wolof. Diachronica 38:1 ► pp. 64 ff.
Crevels, Mily & Hein van der Voort
2020. Areal diffusion of applicatives in the Amazon. In Advances in contact linguistics [Contact Language Library, 57], ► pp. 179 ff.
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