Expletive and Referential Subject Pronouns in Medieval French

Michael Zimmermann

Published by De Gruyter 2014

Expletive and Referential Subject Pronouns in Medieval French

Michael Zimmermann

Volume 556 in the series Linguistische Arbeiten

https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110367478

Overview
Contents

About this book

Medieval French, usually analyzed as a null subject language, differs considerably from modern Romance null subject languages such as Spanish in the availability of non-expressed subject pronouns; specifically, it shows characteristics reminiscent of non-null, rather than null subject languages, such as the expression of expletive subject pronouns. The central goal of this book is to put forward an account of these differences. On the basis of the analysis of an extensive, newly established data corpus, the development of the expression of both expletive and referential subject pronouns until the 17th c. is determined. Following a thorough discussion of previous approaches, an alternative approach is presented which builds on the analysis of Medieval French as a non-null subject language. The non-expression of subject pronouns, licit in specific contexts in non-null subject languages, is shown to be restricted to configurations generally involving left-peripheral focalization. These configurations – and, concomitantly, non-expressed subject pronouns – are finally argued to be eventually lost for good in the wake of the initial observation by 17th c. writers of pertinent instructions campaigned for in highly influential works of language use.

Author / Editor information

Michael Zimmermann, Konstanz University, Germany.

Supplementary Materials

Contents

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	I
Acknowledgements Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	VII
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	IX
1. Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
2. The development of subject pronouns in Medieval and Classical French Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	8
3. Discussion of previous approaches to subject pronouns in Medieval French Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	44
4. An alternative approach to subject pronouns in Medieval French Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	110
5. Outlook: The general loss of non-expressed subject pronouns in Classical French Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	206
References Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	220
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	240

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: De Gruyter
Audience: Academics (Linguistics, Romance Studies), Libraries, Institutes
Pages
- Front matter: 10
- Main content: 246
Keywords: Subject Pronouns; Null-Subjects; Historical Morpho-syntax; Medieval French

eBook

Published: September 12, 2014
ISBN: 9783110367478

Hardcover

Published: August 19, 2014
ISBN: 9783110373370