Chapter 3
On the differential evolution of simple and complex object constructions in English
This article surveys the evolution of object structures in Modern English. In the area of simple constructions, a vast range of prepositional objects and adjuncts have been replaced by direct objects, thus making the latter category considerably more abstract. By contrast, in the area of more complex structures, English has experienced a series of dramatic changes, leading to the virtual loss of several types of construction and the contraction of many others. Most of these reductive changes have introduced a high degree of functional specialization, by narrowing the semantic spectrum of the original syntactic frame or by compelling the use of alternative grammatical devices. The paper provides a corpus-based analysis of three major domains, external possessor constructions, double objects, and clausal complements preceded by direct objects.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Simple object structures: Increased functional diversity
- 2.1Directive verbs
- 2.2Body part instruments
- 2.3Other instrumental objects
- 3.External possessor constructions
- 4.Double object constructions
- 5.Clausal complements after the sequence V+O
- 5.1
That-clauses
- 5.2Infinitival complements
- 5.3Dependent interrogative clauses
- 6.Conclusion
-
Notes
-
References
-
Electronic sources
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ETC/B = British writings in the ETC. (4,801,408 words)
LNC = Late-Nineteenth-Century Corpus – a selection of British and American writings (complementary to the EAF and NCF) by authors born between 1830 and 1869. Source: Project Gutenberg. Compiled in the Research Project “Determinants of Grammatical Variation in English”, University of Paderborn.
LNC/B = British writings in the LNC. (20,817,802 words)
MNC = Mid-Nineteenth-Century Corpus – a selection of British and American writings (complementary to the EAF and the NCF) by authors born between 1803 and 1829. Source: Project Gutenberg. Compiled in the Research Project “Determinants of Grammatical Variation in English”, University of Paderborn.
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NCF2 = Second part of the NCF containing only those authors born in the nineteenth century (*1800–*1869).
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