Grammaticalization of Arabic prepositions and subordinators : a corpus-based study / by Mohssen Esseesy.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Esseesy, Mohssen.

Series:

Studies in Semitic languages and linguistics ; 59.

Studies in Semitic languages and linguistics ; v. 59

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Arabic language--Prepositions.

Arabic language.

Arabic language--Prepositional phrases.

Arabic language--Grammaticalization.

Grammar, Comparative and general--Grammaticalization.

Grammar, Comparative and general--Prepositional phrases.

Physical Description:

xxiv, 390 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

Leiden, The Netherlands ; Boston : Brill, 2010.

Summary:

Previous scholarship on Arabic prepositions typically has presented these as a static closed class of words. Inevitably, such a treatment does not take into account the diachronic development of prepositions into new functions in syntax, semantics and discourse. The present study applies grammaticalization theory to the analysis of prepositions and subordinators across varieties of Arabic. It goes beyond the traditional single-word focus and treats prepositions as parts of multiword complexes. Drawing upon a sizeable base of authentic historical and present-day Arabic data, it presents a rigorously descriptive and quantitative analysis of evolutionary processes involving prepositional forms and subordinators. Book jacket.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Background on Language Change in Arabic 1

1.1 Grammatical Categories within Arabic Varieties 1

1.2 Prevailing Attitudes and New Assumptions 3

1.3 The Case for Grammaticalization 9

1.4 Grammaticalization and Prepositions 13

1.5 Early Scholarly Treatments of Arabic Prepositions 17

1.6 Recent Studies of Arabic Prepositions 25

1.7 Overview 30

Chapter 2 Grammaticalization 31

2.1 Scope, Aim, Data Sources, and Limitations of the Present Study 31

2.2 Theoretical Background 36

2.2.1 Basic Lexical Sources 38

2.2.2 Classes of Lexical Sources 40

2.2.3 Grammaticalized Constructions 48

2.3 Motivating Strategies for Semantic Extensions through Grammaticalization 52

2.3.1 Metaphor and Meaning Extensions 53

2.3.2 Metonymy 60

2.3.3 Metaphor and Metonymy in the Stages of Grammaticalization 63

2.3.4 Preanalysis 64

2.3.5 Pragmatic Strengthening 66

2.3.6 Synthesis of Mechanisms 67

2.4 Unidirectionality of Change 68

2.5 Measuring Grammaticalization 69

2.6 Textual Frequency and Grammaticalization 72

Chapter 3 Complex Prepositional Phrases 75

3.1 Introduction 75

3.2 Formal Properties of PNP-Constructions 77

3.3 General Characteristics of PNP-units in Arabic 78

3.4 Grammaticalization of bi-n-nisbati li-/'ila 'in regards to, in comparison with' 81

3.5 Grammaticalization of 'ala/bi-r-raymi min 'in spite of, despite' 85

3.6 Grammaticalization of bi-hajatin 'ila/li- 'in need of 90

3.7 Grammaticalization of bi-n-nadari 'ila 'in view of' 94

3.8 Grammaticalization of bi-n-niyabati 'an 'on behalf of' 97

3.9 Grammaticalization of bi-tahridin min 'with incitement/prodding from/of' 99

Chapter 4 Compound-Like Prepositions 105

4.1 Introduction 105

4.2 Grammaticalization of fi 'atna'i 'during 108

4.3 Grammaticalization of bi-fadli 'thanks to, owing to' 113

4.4 Grammaticalization of min-nahiyati 'with respect to' 115

4.5 Grammaticalization of 'an tariqi 'by way of, via' 118

4.6 Grammaticalization of bi-sababi 'because of' 122

Chapter 5 Simple Stem Prepositionals 129

5.1 Introduction 129

5.2 Grammaticalization of fawqa 'over, above' 129

5.2.1 Semantic grammaticalization of fawqa 129

5.2.2 Formal grammaticalization of fawqa 135

5.3 Grammaticalization of tahta 'under, beneath' 139

5.3.1 Semantic grammaticalization of tahta 139

5.3.2 Formal grammaticalization of tahta 144

5.4 Grammaticalization of 'amama 'in front of, before' 147

5.4.1 Semantic grammaticalization of 'amama 147

5.4.2 Formal grammaticalization of 'amama 150

5.5 Grammaticalization of xalfa 'back, behind' 153

5.5.1 Semantic grammaticalization of xalfa 153

5.5.2 Formal grammaticalization of xalfa 160

Chapter 6 Simple Stem "Primary" Prepositions 167

6.1 Introduction 167

6.2 Grammaticalization of fi 'in, at' 167

6.2.1 Semantic grammaticalization of fi 167

6.2.2 Formal grammaticalization of fi 177

6.3 Grammaticalization of 'ala 'on, above' 186

6.3.1 Semantic grammaticalization of 'ala 186

6.3.2 Formal grammaticalization of 'ala 195

6.4 Grammaticalization of min 'from, of' 202

6.4.1 Semantic grammaticalization of min 202

6.4.2 Formal grammaticaization of min 211

Chapter 7 Bound-Stem Prepositional Forms 225

7.1 Introduction 225

7.2 Grammaticalization of li- 'to, for' 226

7.2.1 Semantic grammaticalization of li- 226

7.2.2 Formal grammaticalization of li- 236

7.3 Grammaticalization of bi- 'in, at, with' 240

7.3.1 Semantic grammaticalization of bi- 240

7.3.2 Formal grammaticalization of bi- 250

Chapter 8 From Preposition to Clause Subordination 257

8.1 Prepositional Subordinators and Non-Prepositional Equivalents 257

8.2 Prepositions and Subordinators: Formal Distinctions 259

8.3 Interclausal Linkage Strategies 263

8.4 Layering of Prepositional Subordinators 266

8.5 Layers of Meanings 272

8.5.1 Gricean Utterance Meaning 272

8.5.2 Principle of Informativeness and Implicatures 274

8.6 Scales of Grammaticalization for Subordinators 285

Chapter 9 Causal, Concessive-Conditional, and Concessive Subordinators 289

9.1 Introduction 289

9.2 Causal Relations 289

9.2.1 Purpose 291

9.2.2 Cause/Reason 295

9.2.3 Textual Frequency of li'anna 'because' 298

9.2.4 Textual Frequency of bi-ma 'anna 'since, because' 306

9.2.5 Diachronic Frequency of li-dalika 'therefore' 309

9.2.6 Textual Frequency of mundu 'since' 311

9.3 Concessive-Conditional Relations 314

9.3.1 Diachronic Frequency 325

9.3.2 Concessive Relation 327

9.4 Diachronic Textual Frequency 334

Chapter 10 Summary and Conclusion 339.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [357]-369) and indexes.

ISBN:

9789004185876

9004185879

OCLC:

614315191