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The Development of Dutch Connectives The development of Dutch connectives Change and acquisition as windows on form-function relations Published by LOT phone: +31 30 253 6006 Trans 10 fax: +31 30 253 6000 3512 JK Utrecht e-mail: [email protected] The Netherlands http://wwwlot.let.uu.nl/ Cover illustration: photograph of train rails with sidetracks as a representation of developments in language. ISBN 90-76864-77-2 NUR 632 Copyright © 2005: Jacqueline Evers-Vermeul. All rights reserved. The development of Dutch connectives Change and acquisition as windows on form-function relations De ontwikkeling van Nederlandse connectieven Verandering en verwerving als vensters op vorm-functierelaties (met een samenvatting in het Nederlands) Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Universiteit Utrecht op gezag van de Rector Magnificus, Prof. dr. W.H. Gispen, ingevolge het besluit van het College voor Promoties in het openbaar te verdedigen op dinsdag 24 mei 2005 des middags te 16.15 uur door Jacqueline Evers-Vermeul geboren op 9 december 1973 te Purmerend Promotoren: Prof. dr. T.J.M. Sanders Faculteit der Letteren, Universiteit Utrecht Prof. dr. F.P. Weerman Faculteit der Geesteswetenschappen, Universiteit van Amsterdam Gelukkig is de mens die wijsheid heeft gevonden, een mens die inzicht wint. Wijsheid levert meer op dan zilver, geeft meer profijt dan goud, is kostbaarder dan edelstenen. Alles wat je ooit zou kunnen wensen valt bij de wijsheid in het niet. (Spreuken 3: 13-15, Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling) Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding. For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her. (Proverbs 3: 13-15, World English Bible) Contents PART I – GENERAL INTRODUCTION............................................................................................. 1 Chapter 1 – Introduction ......................................................................................................... 3 1.1 Research question............................................................................................................... 3 1.2 Method ................................................................................................................................ 5 1.3 Connective selection........................................................................................................... 6 1.3.1 Connectives selected for both the diachronic and the acquisition research............ 6 1.3.2 Additional connectives selected for the acquisition research ................................. 8 1.4 Preview ............................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 2 – Connectives and their classifications ............................................................... 11 2.1 On the definition of ‘connectives’ .................................................................................... 11 2.2 Conceptual primitives in the characterization of connectives .......................................... 13 2.2.1 Basic operation, polarity, and order of the segments............................................ 14 2.2.2 Source of coherence.............................................................................................. 16 2.3 Syntactic primitives in the characterization of connectives.............................................. 20 2.3.1 Positioning of the connective................................................................................ 21 2.3.2 Word order within the connective clause.............................................................. 22 2.3.3 Linearization of the connective clause.................................................................. 24 2.3.4 Word order within the matrix clause..................................................................... 25 2.3.5 The four syntactic primitives in relation to categorical status .............................. 26 2.4 Characterization of the selected Dutch connectives ......................................................... 29 Chapter 3 – Theories on form-function relations................................................................ 31 3.1 Introduction....................................................................................................................... 31 3.2 Interactions withconnective positioning.......................................................................... 31 3.3 Interactions with the linearization of connective clauses.................................................. 35 3.4 Interactions with the word order within matrix clauses.................................................... 37 3.5 Interactions with the word order within connective clauses............................................. 40 3.5.1 Word order related to domains of use................................................................... 40 3.5.2 Word order related to hierarchical text structure .................................................. 42 3.5.3 Comparison of the two word order proposals....................................................... 44 3.6 Interactions withsubjectification...................................................................................... 45 3.7 Conclusion andoverview.................................................................................................. 47 PART II – DEVELOPMENTS IN THE HISTORY OF CONNECTIVES ................................................. 49 Chapter 4 – On the methodology of the diachronic corpus studies ................................... 51 4.1 Sample of texts.................................................................................................................. 51 4.2 Samples of connective fragments ..................................................................................... 53 4.3 Operationalization for the analyses based on domains ..................................................... 55 4.4 Qualitative and quantitative analyses................................................................................ 58 vii viii Contents Appendices to Chapter 4 .......................................................................................................... 59 A Primary sources for the diachronic corpus study.......................................................... 59 B Explanatory remarks on the logit analyses ................................................................... 65 Chapter 5 – Word order and closure: a diachronic analysis of want and omdat.............. 67 5.1 Introduction....................................................................................................................... 67 5.2 Word orders related to closure.......................................................................................... 68 5.2.1 De Haan (2001) on word orders............................................................................ 68 5.2.2 Word order related to text structure ...................................................................... 70 5.2.3 Hypotheses for the diachronic study..................................................................... 71 5.3 Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 72 5.3.1 Syntactic analyses................................................................................................. 72 5.3.2 Closure analysis.................................................................................................... 74 5.4 Results of the diachronic analysis of want........................................................................ 76 5.4.1 Syntactic analysis of want..................................................................................... 76 5.4.2 Closure analysis of want ....................................................................................... 80 5.5 Results of the diachronic analysis of omdat ..................................................................... 81 5.5.1 Syntactic analysis of omdat .................................................................................. 81 5.5.2 Closure analysis of omdat..................................................................................... 84 5.6 Conclusions and discussion .............................................................................................. 85 5.6.1 On closure............................................................................................................. 85 5.6.2 On the decrease in ambiguous word orders .......................................................... 86 Appendices to Chapter 5 .......................................................................................................... 87 C Logit analysis of the diachronic development of want................................................. 87 D Logit analysis of the diachronic development of omdat............................................... 89 Chapter 6 – Word order and domains of use: a diachronic analysis of want and omdat .............................................................................. 91 6.1 Introduction....................................................................................................................... 91 6.2 Word orders related to domains of use ............................................................................. 92 6.2.1 Word orders and their syntactic configurations ...................................................
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