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The interplay of structural ambiguity and reanalysis

ORCiD logo with link | Université de Neuchâtel
Published online: 23 March 2026
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https://doi.org/10.1075/jhl.24042.smi
Abstract
This paper explores the relationship between ambiguity and reanalysis in syntactic change, with a particular focus on the interplay between structural and semantic ambiguity. The diachronic corpus study examines two cases of syntactic reanalysis. The first involves the development of the German directional adverb hinaus ‘out, outward’ into a verbal particle, while the second traces the evolution of the same adverb into an adposition, specifically as part of the circumposition [über NPACC hinaus] ‘beyond, besides’. The paper argues that structural ambiguity may, but does not necessarily, align with semantic ambiguity, which has implications for potential diachronic shifts. Structural ambiguity alone does not necessarily lead to reanalysis and should not be regarded merely as a transitional stage in gradual diachronic change; rather, it may represent a relatively stable state. In this sense, structural ambiguity can serve as a potential starting point for reanalysis, though it does not inherently drive the process.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Structural ambiguity of directional adverbs in present-day German
  • 3.Data
  • 4.Analysis
    • 4.1Hinaus in present-day German: Structural ambiguity
    • 4.2Über & hinaus
    • 4.3Auf & hinaus
    • 4.4Discussion
    • 5.Concluding remarks
  • Notes
  • References
References (21)
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