Edited by Merja Stenroos, Martti Mäkinen and Inge Særheim
[Current Issues in Linguistic Theory 321] 2012
► pp. 117–140
This chapter assesses the hypothesis that the Late British verbal noun construction influenced what was to become the English progressive. Evidence from archaeology, genetics, second language acquisition research, contact linguistics and grammaticalization studies is assessed and compared. The conclusion is that the socio-historical conditions may have been conducive to linguistic influence from Late British onto Old English. However, given the dynamic nature of progressive and imperfective forms, evidence from more recent varieties of Celtic and English cannot be used as evidence. It is also argued that what causes contact-induced influence is similarity of function, not form; thus, the Late British verbal noun construction may well have influenced not the Old English verbal noun construction, but the Old English participial progressive.
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 6 march 2024. 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.