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Article published In: Journal of Historical Linguistics
Vol. 13:3 (2023) ► pp.461–487

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The ups and downs of relative particles in German diachrony

On loss, grammaticalization, and standardization

ORCiD logo with link | University of Zurich
Published online: 21 February 2023
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/jhl.22026.mos
Abstract
The aim and scope of this article is to take a closer look at the functions and semantics of the three relative particles da, so, and wo, and to show that they have developed differently over a period from 1350 to 1800, continuing up to our modern dialects and the standard language. We will focus on wo because it is the only relativizer which is attested both as locative relative and as general relative clause marker, and we will propose that wo has extended its functional domain from a locative relative to a general relative marker. We will furthermore discuss if there has been a grammaticalization path “relative locative > general relative clause marker” in German diachrony or not. Finally, we will suggest that standardization processes are responsible for the different degrees of functional extension of wo attested in the historical/modern varieties and the standard language.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Basic concepts of relative clauses and relativizers
  • 3.Data
    • 3.1Bonner Frühneuhochdeutschkorpus (BF)
    • 3.2GerManC Corpus (GC)
    • 3.3Modern varieties (dialects and Standard German)
  • 4.Relativizers in German (dialects and standard language)
  • 5.Relativizers in Early New High German
    • 5.1Overview
    • 5.2The relative particles da, so, and wo
      • 5.2.1Distribution
      • 5.2.2Loss of da and decrease of so
  • 6.The special role of wo
    • 6.1Grammaticalization of wo?: A draft
    • 6.2Influence of standardization processes
  • 7.Summary
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
References (61)
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