Grammaticalisation from side to side

The purpose of my paper is to describe the development and grammaticalization of the preposition and conjunct beside(s) in English. This linking word probably goes back to the uncommon Old English construction be + sidan. In Middle English, the grammaticalization of the preposition and conjunct takes place rapidly. This process involves the development of more abstract senses. Subjectification probably played a role in this development.

Two Old and Early Middle English syntactic constructions, i.e., dat. + prep. phrase (him on hype ‘him on hip’, ‘by his side’) and þær ‘there’ + adverb/preposition, (þærin(ne) ‘therein’; þærfore therefore’), probably contributed to the development. The discussion is illustrated by evidence derived from available computerized corpora and historical dictionaries.