Lexicalization and Language Change

Abstract

Lexicalization, a process of language change, has been conceptualized in a variety of ways. Broadly defined as the adoption of words into the lexicon, it has been viewed by some as the reverse process of grammaticalization, by others as a routine process of word formation, and by others as the development of concrete meanings. In this up-to-date survey, Laurel Brinton and Elizabeth Traugott examine the various conceptualizations of lexicalization that have been presented in the literature. In light of contemporary work on grammaticalization, they then propose a new, unified model of lexicalization and grammaticalization. Their approach is illustrated with a variety of case studies from the history of English, including present participles, multi-word verbs, adverbs, and discourse markers, as well as some examples from other Indo-European languages. As a first overview of the various approaches to lexicalization, this book will be invaluable to students and scholars of historical linguistics and language change.

On degrammaticalization: Controversial points and possible explanations

“…While lexicalization implies an increase in opacity of a lexeme, lexical transparency is restored in folk etymology. (On the complex relationship between grammaticalization and lexicalization, see also Moreno Cabrera 1998;Himmelmann 2004;Brinton and Traugott 2005;Lightfoot 2011). In this paper, instead, we are referring to folk etymology in the domain of degrammaticalization, as a way of interpreting one word as derived from another word that is less contentful or more grammatical, even though this analysis is historically incorrect.…”

The types and categories of Old English recursive compounding

“…A total of 408 compounds are recursive, including 362 recursive nominal compounds, 39 recursive adjectival compounds, and 7 recursive adverbial compounds. The fact that no recursive verbal compounds have been found can be attributed to the process of grammaticalisation resulting in a telic marker (Brinton and Traugott, 2005;Martín Arista and Cortés Rodríguez, 2014), through which temporal adverbs and prepositions are going. As a result of this process, complex verbs like ofāceorfan 'to cut off', ūpāblāwan 'to blow up' and ūtāberstan 'burst out' fall out of the scope of compounding, rather constituting instances of prefixation.…”

Aeg Eesti Murretes

“…Sõna aeg puhul võib muidugi mõneti küsitavaks pidada, kas üldse on võimalik rääkida sõna(vormi) leksikaliseerumisest või grammatiseerumisest -ühelt poolt on tegu täistähendusliku sõnaga, mille puhul ilmselt ei saa otseselt rääkida "leksikaalsemaks muutumisest", nagu leksikaliseerumist enamasti defi neeritakse (vt nt Brinton, Traugott 2005). Ent skalaarse käsit-luse järgi võib siiski sõnavormi iseseisvumist ja morfeemipiiride kadumist (seega ka adverbistumist, sõnavormi kujunemist iseseisvaks määrsõnaks) teatava astme leksikaliseerumiseks pidada.…”