Leiv Egil Breivik

Grammaticalization, Subjectification and Non-Concord in English Existential Sentences

Here, it is sufficient to point out that in present-day English, there1 functions as a subject-position holder and, unlike there2, it is not in paradigmatic contrast with the proximal adverb here. In the present paper, we shall examine the pragmatics of English there1-constructions (henceforth TCs) in a synchronic-diachronic perspective. Special attention will be given to the use of non-concord in TCs in contemporary English, that is the absence of number agreement between the notional subject and the verbal form, as in (3) and (4):

English Sentence Adverbials in a Discourse and Cognitive Perspective

In an earlier work published in 1988, Toril Swan investigated the development of sentence adverbials (from lesser-scope adverbials such as manner adverbials) in the history of English, specifically in terms of their being grammaticalizations of what has been called speaker comments. The present article pursues a topic that was merely touched on in Swans longitudinal study, namely the historical evolution of discourse and cognitive functions of sentence adverbials. Over the centuries these linguistic forms have moved into initial position, becoming foregrounded. We examine the implications of our data with particular reference to speaker perspective and discourse organization. It is argued that the reason why English has developed a large class of sentence adverbials that gravitate towards initial position must be sought in discourse organization and cognitive factors.

ON THE TYPOLOGICAL DISTINCTION BETWEEN SUBJECT-PROMINENCE AND TOPICPROMINENCE

0. Li & Thompson (1976) propose a new typology of language based on the notions of subject-prominence and topic-prominence. The present paper will revolve around Li & Thompsons typological distinction. First, I shall place their hypothesis in the context of recent developments in research on language universals and Bnguistic typology (§ 1). In view of the vast amount of work that has been carried out in this field in recent years, such an overview must necessarily be very selective in the ränge and number of approaches dealt with. Next, I shall examine the validity of certain aspects of Li & Thompsons subject-topic hypothesis (§ 2.1). My primary concern will be with the diachronic implications of their typology. According to Li & Thompson, languages will drift from one type to another on the scale of subject-prominence and topicprominence. I shall argue that the historical Claims they make for their typological Schema are not particularly well supported. Finally, I shall take a critical look at Lehmanns (1976) attempt to incorporate the subject-topic dichotomy into an explanatory framework for diachronic changes (§ 2.2). We shall see that there

ON THE HISTORY OF ENGLISH THAN-COMPARATIVES

This paper, which takes the form of a critique of Seurens theory of the comparative construction, is meant äs a contribution to typological and historical linguistics. In a number of publications, Seuren (e.g. 1973, 1978, 1984) has proposed that comparatives like (1) Jim is taller than Joe. should be analysed in terms of an underlying structure which crucially involves existential quantification over extents: (2) 3e: extent [Jim is tall to e ~[Joe is tall to ej (There is an extent e such that Jim is tall to e and Joe is not tall to e) Central to Seurens discussion of (1) are the following Claims: (3) (a) Particle comparatives are related to coördinate structures. (b) Comparatives of inequality involve negation.

Relative Infinitives in English

Christer Geisler, Relative Infinitives in English. Almqvist & Wiksell International, Stockholm, 1995. 269 pp. (Studia Anglistica Upsaliensia 91.)