Relabelling and Multi-Directionality in the Development of Coordination

Abstract

Cross-linguistically, there is polysemy of 'with' and 'and,' which is explained as development from the comitative to the conjunction. Formally, the development is captured as change of labels from DP to &P, which instantiates the emergence of a functional category. Coordination is decomposed into several factors, each of which changes independently. This explains several types of anomalous coordination where only some, but not all, factors have changed. Such anomalous sentences manifest the gradualness of language change, and close examination of them reveals that the change is not unidirectional but multi-directional.*

Conjunctive agreement in Lamaholot

“…In Section 4, I discuss the differences in conjunctive agreement between Lamaholot and Walman. I show that grammaticalization from the comitative to the conjunction is [3] In Nishiyama (2010), I discuss diachronic issues in the development of coordination in Lamaholot and across languages. Because Lamaholot lacks the copula, it is hard to tell whether -o'on in (3) is a verb or a preposition.…”

“…[3]In Nishiyama (2010), I discuss diachronic issues in the development of coordination in Lamaholot and across languages.Because Lamaholot lacks the copula, it is hard to tell whether - o'on in (3) is a verb or a preposition. Thus, one might analyze the comitative in (3) as a verb, and the interpretations are something like ‘I accompany Bala’ and ‘I walk, accompanying Bala’.…”