The extant generalizations about the grammar of space rely heavily on
the analyses of declarative sentences. There is a need to check
whether these generalizations also hold in the domain of
interrogation. To this end this book analyzes data from some 450
languages (including non-standard varieties). The focus is on
paradigms of spatial interrogatives such as English where, whither and
whence and their internal organization. These paradigms are checked
for recurrent patterns of morphological mismatches (such as
syncretism) and different degrees of complexity (e.g. the number of
segments). The data-base consists of a large parallel literary corpus
(Le petit prince and translations thereof) which is complemented by
further sources of information such as descriptive grammars. The data
are analyzed from a synchronic perspective. However, diachronic issues
are addressed unsystematically, too. It is shown that the distribution
of phenomena which characterize paradigms of spatial interrogatives
are subject to areal-linguistic factors. This is the first typological
study of spatial interrogatives. It provides new insights for students
of the grammar of space, morphological paradigms, and language
typology.
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Where, Whither, Whence
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9783110538335
Publisert
2017
Utgave
1. utgave
Utgiver
De Gruyter
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok