Origin and functioning of circumstantial clause linkers : a cross-linguistic study
The thesis analyses a variety of clause linkers used in the worldâs languages as dedicated markers of four circumstantial relations between states of affairs: anteriority (âafterâ), causality (âbecauseâ), purpose (âin order toâ) and conditionality (âifâ). Focusing primarily on the function of the linkers rather than on their formal properties the study scrutinizes the origin and functioning of free-word adverbial subordinators, converbal endings as well as other subordinating affixes and polymorphemic structures specialized for clause-linking functions. The database consist of nearly 700 items which come from a geographically and genetically balanced sample of 84 languages. In the first part of the thesis I discuss in detail the scope of the study, theoretical foundations (functional approach to language analysis) and methodology. In the second part I focus on the issues of grammaticalization and semantic scope of the linkers. The analysis of patterns of polysemy of the linkers, as well as the make-up of the polymorphemic items among them provide material for the reconstruction of the most common sources and pathways of grammaticalization. Looking closer at the patterns of semantic polyfunctionality
Martowicz, Anna
clause linkers ; clause-combining
Origin and functioning of circumstantial clause linkers : a cross-linguistic study. The thesis analyses a variety of clause linkers used in the worldâs languages as dedicated markers of four circumstantial relations between states of affairs: anteriority (âafterâ), causality (âbecauseâ), purpose (âin order toâ) and conditionality (âifâ). Focusing primarily on the function of the linkers rather than on their formal properties the study scrutinizes the origin and functioning of free-word adverbial subordinators, converbal endings as well as other subordinating affixes and polymorphemic structures specialized for clause-linking functions. The database consist of nearly 700 items which come from a geographically and genetically balanced sample of 84 languages. In the first part of the thesis I discuss in detail the scope of the study, theoretical foundations (functional approach to language analysis) and methodology. In the second part I focus on the issues of grammaticalization and semantic scope of the linkers. The analysis of patterns of polysemy of the linkers, as well as the make-up of the polymorphemic items among them provide material for the reconstruction of the most common sources and pathways of grammaticalization. Looking closer at the patterns of semantic polyfunctionality
origin function circumstantial clause cross_linguistic study analysis variety clause use world language dedicate marker circumstantial relation state_affair causality purpose order focusing primarily function rather formal property study scrutinize origin function free_word adverbial well subordinate affix structure specialize clause linking function database consist item come geographically genetically balance sample language first_part discus_detail scope_study theoretical_foundation functional language analysis methodology second_part focus issue grammaticalization semantic scope analysis pattern polysemy well make_up item among provide material reconstruction common source pathways grammaticalization looking close pattern semantic