Changes in English word order and the loss of VSO*

The present paper investigates the Verb-Subject-Object order in the history of English. On the basis of current theoretical approaches to word order, we argue that in the diachrony of English, both derivations of VSO order (cf. Roussou & Tsimpli 2006) could be found. VSO clauses are allowed due to the strong D-features of English until the 12th century (when English DPs were inflected for case and phi-features); however, VSO orders were not lost in Middle English (when the loss of case distinctions occurred) as Middle English changed to a CP-V2 language (cf. Kroch & Taylor 1997).

Development of transitivity in a language without/with object clitics: English vs. Greek (A diachronic contrastive study)

In this historical study, I test the hypothesis of a relationship between the changes in the null definite objects and the development of the D-system and clitics. In Lavidas (2013), I have shown that the grammaticalization of the viewpoint aspect in English has progressed in parallel with activity/event-noun cognate objects, but it does not appear to have affected the development and loss of null object constructions in English. The diachronic examination of null objects in the present study searches for the absence/presence of a link between the emergence of new types of personal pronouns in the history of a language without clitics, English, and in the history of a language with clitics, Greek. The paper offers new data from the historical corpora of English and Greek, and analyzes both the grammaticalization of the D-system in English and Greek and its link to the loss of null definite objects in both languages. The loss of the definite null objects in English follows the changes in the D-system but does not directly follow the development of the personal pronouns. The relationship between the development of personal pronouns in the object position, the changes in the D-system, and the loss of definite null objects is evident for Greek

Voice, transitivity and tense/aspect : directionality of change in Indo-European (evidence from Greek and Vedic)

The aim of this article is to examine the directionality of change in Voice in relation to Tense/Aspect, foremost based on evidence from Greek as well as additional evidence from Early Vedic. Starting with the hypothesis that in (standard) Proto-Indo-European a number of innovations resulted in the introduction of some elements of the Perfect-Stative inflection into the Present (cf. Kulikov & Lavidas 2013), we study the directionality of change in Voice. We show that the original relationship between Tense/ Aspect and Voice determines the directionality of change in Voice in Greek. Basing our study on the analysis of Vedic active Perfects that are intransitive and belong with middle Presents, we claim that this initial relationship between Voice and Tense/ Aspect can be reconstructed on the basis of some tendencies and changes found in several Indo-European dialects, in particular in Greek forms. We also argue that the relationship between Tense/Aspect and Voice in the diachrony of Greek depends on the new features acquired by the voice morphology as well as on the development of the categories Tense and Aspect

Null and cognate objects and changes in (in)transitivity: Evidence from the history of English

This paper examines the historical development of null objects (e.g., *He took the loaf and held Ø between his hands) and cognate objects (e.g., He sang a song) in English. We will demonstrate that English lost definite/referential (and indefinite) null objects (only generic null objects are possible in present-day English, e.g., They have the ability to impress and delight Ø) but extended the range of cognate objects (which is now also possible with activity/event nouns, e.g., He smiled a disarming smile). Cross-linguistic diachronic comparison (using data from the history of the Greek language) reveals that the historical development described is language-specific and that both directions of change (loss or rise) of null and cognate objects are possible. We will test the hypothesis that there is a connection between the availability of such (de)transitivization processes and changes that affect the syntactic representation of aspectual distinctions. More precisely, we will examine the hypothesis that in English, both the loss of definite null objects and the rise of cognate objects with activity/event nouns are linked to the grammaticalization of the viewpoint (progressive) aspect (be + V + ing). We will show that the grammaticalization of the viewpoint aspect in English has not affected the development and loss of null object constructions. However, the grammaticalization of the viewpoint aspect appears to have progressed in parallel with activity/event-noun cognate objects

Morphosyntactic isoglosses in Indo-European: an introduction

Editorial introduction to the Special Issue focused on the morphosyntactic isoglosses in Indo-European

Major Trends in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics 3

In the three volumes of Major Trends in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics, the editors guide the reader through a well-selected compendium of works, presenting a fresh look at contemporary linguistics. Specialists will find chapters that contribute to their fields of interest, and the three-volume collection will provide useful reading for anyone interested in linguistics. The first volume explores theoretical issues dealing with phonetics-phonology and syntax-semantics-morphology. Volume two is organized into three main sections that examine interdisciplinary linguistics: discourse analysis, gender and lexicography; language acquisition, and language disorders. Finally, volume three focuses on applied linguistics - both language teaching/ learning and education