Article published In: On multiple source constructions in language change
Edited by Hendrik De Smet, Lobke Ghesquière and Freek Van de Velde
[Studies in Language 37:3] 2013
► pp. 566–598
Multiple sources for the German scandal construction
Published online: 7 October 2013
https://doi.org/10.1075/sl.37.3.05gae
https://doi.org/10.1075/sl.37.3.05gae
The interaction of several cases of grammaticalization going back to different source constructions may have dramatic consequences on a linguistic system. This paper discusses the so-called German scandal construction, which consists of a verbal complex displaying a number of synchronic form-meaning mismatches. The scandal is solved if a diachronic point of view is adopted, which shows that the mismatches result from the intraference of two different source constructions expanded in the course of the German linguistic history, namely the Perfekt construction and the zu-infinitive construction.
Keywords: infinitive, auxiliary, form/function mismatch, perfect, German
Cited by (4)
Cited by four other publications
Angster, Marco & Livio Gaeta
Gaeta, Livio
2020. Remotivating inflectional classes. In Historical Linguistics 2017 [Current Issues in Linguistic Theory, 350], ► pp. 205 ff.
Schallert, Oliver
Reiner, Tabea
2019. Variation in non-finiteness and temporality from a canonical perspective. In Morphological Variation [Studies in Language Companion Series, 207], ► pp. 283 ff.
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 3 december 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.