Cover not available

Article published In: Journal of Historical Linguistics
Vol. 10:1 (2020) ► pp.1–41

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
authorization required

Grammaticalization of reflexivity in Basque

A corpus-based diachronic and typological analysis

 | University of the Basque Country
Published online: 25 May 2020
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/jhl.18036.sal
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed overview of the changes undergone by the reflexive buru-construction in Basque under the light of grammaticalization theory. On the basis of quantitative historical data, the reflexive construction is argued to have undergone changes predicted by the grammaticalization path of reflexive markers: the distinction between regular and reflexive possessive pronouns is lost; anaphoric, non-reflexive uses of buru disappear; and number agreement between the subject and buru is no longer obligatory. The buru-construction is furthermore argued to have become more prevalent at the expense of other reflexivization strategies. As opposed to these changes, the reflexive construction seems to have degrammaticalized as well: the number of direct object uses of this construction decreases over time, and it occurs in subject position with more predicates in present-day written Basque than in the historical period. In view of these facts, an argument is made against unidirectional conceptions of grammaticalization. External motivations for these developments, such as the standardization of the language, are also considered.
Article outline
  • 1.Reflexivity: Background, definition, types and related categories
  • 2.Overview of reflexivity in present-day Basque
    • 2.1The reflexive buru-construction
    • 2.2Other means of encoding reflexivity in present-day Basque
  • 3.Reflexivity in the history of Basque
  • 4.Reflexivity and grammaticalization
  • 5.The diachronic development of reflexives in Basque
    • 5.1A brief description of the corpus
    • 5.2Methodology
    • 5.3Discussion of the data
      • 5.3.1The grammatical functions of reflexives
      • 5.3.2Intransitivization vs. the ‘head’-construction
      • 5.3.3“Plain” vs. “modified” reflexive constructions
      • 5.3.4Anaphoric non-reflexive uses of the ‘head’-construction
      • 5.3.5Loss of obligatory number agreement
      • 5.3.6“Strong” vs. “weak” reflexives
  • 6.Conclusions and future research
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
References (81)
References
Albizu, Pablo. 2009. Euskararen kasu-sistema ergatiboa ala ergatiboak? Ergatibotasunaren azterketa dialektologiko baterako lehen urratsak. Lapurdum 131.7–29. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Amiridze, Nino. 2006. Reflexivization Strategies in Georgian. Utrecht, Universiteit Utrecht, doctoral dissertation.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Aresti, Gabriel, ed. 1965. Teatro zaarra: Gabonetako ikuskizuna, Gabon-sariak, El borracho burlado. Tolosa: Auspoa.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ariel, Mira. 2008. Pragmatics and Grammar. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Becker, Laura. 2018. Articles in the World’s Languages. Leipzig, Universität Leipzig, doctoral dissertation.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Benveniste, Émile. 1966. Actif et moyen dans le verbe. Problèmes de linguistique générale, Volume I ed. By Émile Benveniste, 168–175. Paris: Éditions Gallimard.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bybee, Joan & Sandra Thompson. 1997. Three Frequency Effects in Syntax. Berkeley Linguistics Society 231.378–388. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bybee, Joan, Revere Perkins & William Pagliuca. 1994. The Evolution of Grammar: Tense, Aspect, and Modality in the Languages of the World. Chicago & London: University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Campbell, Lyle. 2001. What’s Wrong with Grammaticalization? Language Sciences 231.113–161. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Creissels, Denis & Céline Mounole. 2011. Animacy and Spatial Cases: Typological Tendencies, and the Case of Basque. Case, Animacy and Semantic roles ed. by Seppo Kittilä, Katja Västi & Jussi Ylikoski, 157–182. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Dayley, Jon P. 1981. Tzutujil grammar. Berkeley, University of California doctoral dissertation.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Etxepare, Ricardo & Myriam Uribe-Etxebarria. 2012. Denominal Necessity Modals in Basque. Noun Phrases and Nominalization in Basque: Syntax and Semantics ed. by Urtzi Etxebarria, Ricardo Etxepare & Myriam Uribe-Etxebarria, 283–329. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Euskaltzaindia. 1991. Euskal gramatika lehen urratsak-I. Bilbao/Bilbo: Euskaltzaindia.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1999. Euskal Herriko hizkuntz atlasa: Ohiko euskal mintzamoldeen antologia. Bilbao/Bilbo: Euskaltzaindia.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Euskara Institutua. 2013. Euskal klasikoen corpusa. Donostia/San Sebastián: University of the Basque Country.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Everaert, Martin. 1986. The Syntax of Reflexivization. Dordrecht/Riverton: Foris. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Evseeva, Natalia & Iker Salaberri. 2018. Grammaticalization of Nouns Meaning “head” into Reflexive Markers: A Cross-linguistic Study. Linguistic Typology 22:3.385–435. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ezkila, ed. 1974. Jesu Kristoren berri ona. Belloc-Urt: Ezkila.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Faltz, Leonard M. 1977. Reflexivization: A Study in Universal Syntax. Los Angeles, University of California, doctoral dissertation.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Geniušienė, Emma. 1987. The Typology of Reflexives. New York: Mouton de Gruyter. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Haspelmath, Martin. 1987. Transitivity Alternations of the Anticausative Type. Cologne: Universität zu Köln.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1990. The Grammaticalization of Passive Morphology. Studies in Language 14:1.25–72. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2004. On Directionality in Language Change. Up and Down the Cline – The Nature of Grammaticalization ed. by Olga Fischer, Muriel Norde & Harry Perridon, 17–44. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2008. A Frequentist Explanation of Some Universals of Reflexive Marking. Linguistic Discovery 6:1.40–63. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Heine, Bernd. 1999. Polysemy Involving Reflexive and Reciprocal Markers in African Languages. Reciprocals: Forms and Functions ed. by Zygmunt Frajzyngier & Traci S. Curl, 1–29. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Heine, Bernd, Ulrike Claudi & Friederike Hünnemeyer. 1991. Grammaticalization: A Conceptual Framework. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Herlin, Ilona & Lari Kotilainen. 2004. External Factors behind Cross-linguistic Similarities. Up and Down the Cline – The Nature of Grammaticalization ed. by Olga Fischer, Muriel Norde & Harry Perridon, 263–280. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Himmelmann, Nikolaus P. 1997. Deiktikon, Artikel, Nominalphrase: zur Emergenz syntaktischer Struktur. Tübingen: Max Niemeyer. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hopper, Paul J. 1991. On some Principles of Grammaticalization. Approaches to Grammaticalization, Volume I: Focus on Theoretical and Methodological Issues ed. by Elizabeth C. Traugott & Bernd Heine, 17–35. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hopper, Paul J. & Elizabeth C. Traugott. 2003. Grammaticalization. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hualde, José I. & Jon Ortiz de Urbina. 2003. A Grammar of Basque. Berlin & New York: Mouton de Gruyter. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ibarretxe-Antuñano, Iraide. 2002. The Conceptual Structure of Basque buru ‘head’. Fontes Linguae Vasconum 911.463–492.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kazenin, Konstantin I. 2001. Verbal Reflexives and the Middle Voice. Language Typology and Language Universals: An International Handbook. Volume II ed. by Martin Haspelmath, Ekkehard König, Wulf Oesterreicher & Wolfgang Raible, 916–927. Berlin & New York: Mouton de Gruyter.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kemmer, Suzanne. 1993. The Middle Voice. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
König, Ekkehard. 2001. Intensifiers and Reflexive Pronouns. Language Typology and Language Universals: An International Handbook. Volume I ed. by Martin Haspelmath, Ekkehard König, Wulf Oesterreicher & Wolfgang Raible, 747–759. Berlin & New York: Mouton de Gruyter.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2007. Vers une nouvelle typologie des marques réfléchies. L’énoncé réfléchi ed. by André Rousseau, Didier Bottineau & Daniel Roulland, 107–130. Rennes: Presses Universitaires de Rennes.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
König, Ekkehard & Peter Siemund. 2000. Intensifiers and Reflexives: A Typological Perspective. Reflexives: Forms and Functions ed. by Zygmunt Frajzyngier & Traci S. Curl, 41–74. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2005. Intensifiers and Reflexive Pronouns. The World Atlas of Language Structures ed. by Martin Haspelmath, Matthew Dryer, David Gil & Bernard Comrie, 194–197. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
König, Ekkehard & Volker Gast. 2008. Reciprocity and Reflexivity: Description, Typology and Theory. Reciprocals and Reflexives: Theoretical and Typological Explorations ed. by Ekkehard König & Volker Gast, 1–32. Berlin & New York: Mouton de Gruyter.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kuryłowicz, Jerzy. 1965. The Evolution of Grammatical Categories. Diogenes 511.55–71. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kuteva, Tania, Bernd Heine, Bo Hong, Haiping Long, Heiko Narrog & Seongha Rhee. 2019. World Lexicon of Grammaticalization. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Laitinen, Lea. 2004. Grammaticalization and Standardization. Up and Down the Cline – The Nature of Grammaticalization ed. by Olga Fischer, Muriel Norde & Harry Perridon, 247–262. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lakarra, Joseba A. 1997. Euskararen historia eta filologia: Arazo zahar, bide berri. Anuario del Seminario de Filología Vasca ‘Julio de Urquijo’ 31:2.447–535.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lehmann, Christian. 2015. Thoughts on Grammaticalization. 3rd ed. Berlin: Language Science Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Linell, Per. 2005. The Written Language Bias in Linguistics: Its Nature, Origins and Transformations. London: Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Linschmann, Theodor & Hugo Schuchardt, eds. 1990. Ioannes Leizarraga: Iesus Christ gure iaunaren testamentu berria. Bilbao/Bilbo: Euskaltzaindia.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ljutikova, Jekaterina A. 2002. Kognitivnaja tipologija: Refleksivy i intensifikatory. Moskva: Rossijskaja Akademija Nauk.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Luraghi, Silvia. 1998. On the Directionality of Grammaticalization. Sprachtypologie und Universalienforschung 51:4.355–365.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Manterola, Julen. 2015. Towards a History of Basque Morphology: Articles and Demonstratives. Vitoria-Gasteiz, University of the Basque Country doctoral dissertation.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mitxelena, Koldo. 1964. Textos arcaicos vascos. Madrid: Ediciones Minotauro.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1988. Euskal idazlan guztiak. Volumes I-IX1 ed. by Patxi Altuna, Blanca Urgell & Ibon Sarasola. Donostia/San Sebastián: Euskal Editoreen Elkartea.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1992. Diccionario general vasco-Orotariko euskal hiztegia, Volume V (Berr-Daf). Bilbao/Bilbo: Desclée de Brouwer, Euskaltzaindia, Mensajero.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2011. Obras completas, Volume VII: Fonética y fonología, morfosintaxis, dialectología ed. by Joseba A. Lakarra & Iñigo R. Arzalluz. Donostia/San Sebastián & Vitoria-Gasteiz: University of the Basque Country, Gipuzkoako Foru Aldundia.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Moravcsik, Edith. 1972. Some cross-linguistic generalizations about intensifier constructions. Chicago Linguistic Society 81.271–277.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mounole, Céline. 2007. Perifrasi zaharra mendebalde eta erdialdeko euskara zaharrean: Azterketa kuantifikatiboa eta proposamen berria. Anuario del Seminario de Filología Vasca ‘Julio de Urquijo’ 41:1.67–138.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2011. Le verbe basque ancien: Étude philologique et diachronique. Vitoria-Gasteiz, University of the Basque Country, doctoral dissertation.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mounole, Céline & Joseba A. Lakarra. 2018. Euskara arkaikoa. Euskararen historia ed. by Joakin Gorrotxategi, Iván Igartua & Joseba A. Lakarra, 345–468. Vitoria-Gasteiz: Eusko Jaurlaritza.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mounole, Céline & Ricardo Gómez-López. 2018. Euskara zahar eta klasikoa. Euskararen historia ed. by Joakin Gorrotxategi, Iván Igartua & Joseba A. Lakarra, 469–542. Vitoria-Gasteiz: Eusko Jaurlaritza.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Newmeyer, Frederick J. 2001. Deconstructing Grammaticalization. Language Sciences 231.187–229. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Norde, Muriel. 2009. Degrammaticalization. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2011. Degrammaticalization. The Oxford Handbook of Grammaticalization ed. by Heiko Narrog & Bernd Heine, 475–487. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ortiz de Urbina, Jon. 1993. Parameters in the Grammar of Basque. Dordrecht: Foris.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Oihartzabal, Beñat. 1989. Pro-drop and the Resumptive Pronoun Strategy in Basque. Configurationality: The Typology of Asymmetries ed. by László K. Marácz & Pieter C. Muysken, 63–83. Dordrecht: Foris.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1991. La pastorale souletine: Édition critique de Charlemagne. Donostia/San Sebastián: Gipuzkoako Foru Aldundia, University of the Basque Country.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Pagola, Rosa M., Itziar Iribar & Juan J. Iribar. 2004. Bonaparte ondareko eskuizkribuak – Fondo Bonaparte. Mondragón-Arrasate: Deusto University.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Petrirena, Patxi. 2011. Morfosintaxiaren inguruko zalantzak eta argibideak. Vitoria-Gasteiz: Eusko Jaurlaritza.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Rebuschi, Georges. 1989. Les possessifs basques, l’opposition entre éléments réfléchis et non réfléchis, et la variation dialectale. Modèles Linguistiques 26:2.35–65.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Reinhart, Tanya & Eric Reuland. 2002. Reflexivity. Linguistic Inquiry 241.657–720.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
de Rijk, Rudolf P. G. 2008. Standard Basque: A Progressive Grammar. Cambridge & London: MIT Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Saltarelli, Mario. 1988. Basque. London & New York: Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sarasola, Ibon. 1979. Nire/neure, zure/zeure literatur tradizioan. Euskera 25:2.431–466.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1983. Contribución al estudio y edición de textos antiguos vascos. Anuario del Seminario de Filología Vasca ‘Julio de Urquijo’ 171.69–212.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sarasola, Ibon, Pello Salaburu & Josu Landa. 2017. Ereduzko prosa dinamikoa. Donostia/San Sebastián: University of the Basque Country.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Schladt, Mathias. 2000. The Typology and Grammaticalization of Reflexives. Reflexives: Forms and Functions ed. by Zygmunt Frajzyngier & Traci S. Curl, 103–124. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Trask, Robert L. 1995. On the History of Non-finite Verb Forms in Basque. Towards a History of the Basque Language ed. by José I. Hualde, Joseba A. Lakarra & Robert L. Trask, 207–234. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1997. The History of Basque. London & New York: Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Urkixo, Julio, ed. 1907. Obras vascongadas del doctor labortano Joannes d’Etcheberri (1712). Paris: Paul Geuthner.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Viti, Carlotta. 2015. On Degrammaticalization: Controversial Points and Possible Explanations. Folia Linguistica 49:2.381–419. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Zuazo, Koldo. 2008. Euskalkiak: Euskararen dialektoak. Donostia/San Sebastián: Elkar.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (2)

Cited by two other publications

Mounole, Céline
2024. Alignment variations in the diachrony of Basque. Journal of Historical Linguistics 14:1 ► pp. 108 ff. DOI logo
Salaberri, Iker
2020. Hebetic ioan gabe ene buruya: zenbait gogoeta buru hitzaren erabilera anaforikoen eta bihurkarien diakroniaz. Fontes Linguae Vasconum :130 ► pp. 445 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 13 november 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue