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Este artículo ofrece una visión general de la derivación cero en inglés antiguo, una descripción de las alternancias que se establecen entre los nombres, adjetivos y verbos débiles, de una parte, y sus bases de derivación, de otra parte; y una valoración de la importancia de las alternancias para la evolución del léxico inglés. Se cuantifican las alternancias y se relacionan con la mutación de la i y con los procesos de formación de palabras mediante distinciones entre las alternancias directas y las inversas y entre el verbo fuerte como origen de la derivación y el verbo débil como meta de la derivación. Las conclusiones reflejan el carácter sincrónico-diacrónico de las alternancias. En el eje sincrónico, las alternancias representan un fenómeno relativamente generalizado que afecta a todas las clases de verbos fuertes y débiles; mientras que en el eje diacrónico las alternancias permiten medir el progreso del cambio de la morfología de base variable a la morfología de base invariable. Palabras clave: alternancia; formación de palabras; derivación cero; morfología; inglés antiguo This article offers an overview of zero derivation in Old English, a description of the vocalic alternations that hold between zero derived nouns, adjectives and weak verbs and their bases of derivation as well as an account of the significance of alternations in the wider context of the evolution of the lexicon of English. Alternations are quantified and related to i-mutation and word-formation processes by distinguishing direct from reverse alternations and alternations with a strong verb source from alternations with a weak verb target. The conclusions reflect the synchronic-diachronic character of alternations. On the synchronic axis, alternations represent a relatively generalised phenomenon that affects all classes of both strong and weak verbs, while, on the diachronic axis, they allow us to assess the progress of the change from variable to invariable base morphology. Keywords: alternation; word-formation; zero derivation; morphology; Old English, Another Look at Old English Zero Derivation and Alternations 1. Aims, Scope and Previous Research Word-formation is not only an area where phonology, lexicology and grammar meet but also an [...]

This article deals with the transitive construction involving habban and the past participle in Old English, and focuses on the loss of the adjectival segment of the participial inflection. The analysis is based on data retrieved from the York-Toronto-Helsinki Parsed Corpus of Old English Prose. Inflectional morphology and constituent order, including the relative and the absolute position of the past participle, are considered. The data indicate that the reanalysis the habban+past participle construction is nearly over by the end of the period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers an overview of zero derivation in Old English, a description of the vocalic alternations that hold between zero derived nouns, adjectives and weak verbs and their bases of derivation as well as an account of the significance of alternations in the wider context of the evolution of the lexicon of English. Alternations are quantified and related to i-mutation and word-formation processes by distinguishing direct from reverse alternations and alternations with a strong verb source from alternations with a weak verb target. The conclusions reflect the synchronic-diachronic character of alternations. On the synchronic axis, alternations represent a relatively generalised phenomenon that affects all classes of both strong and weak verbs, while, on the diachronic axis, they allow us to assess the progress of the change from variable to invariable base morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we restrict, in favour of X constituents, the role played by VN in a functional syntax. More specifically, we suggest that the element central to the formulation of synchronic and diachronic expression rules is the focusbearing constituent, that is, X--not VN--in languages that show full or partial OV morphosyntax, We comment on the inadequacy of the V2 Rule and formulate a hypothetical description and explanation of Old English passive constructions: we shall speak of "unmarked topic" whenever this pragmatic function is assigned to a constituent that does not occupy clauseinitial position and of unmarked focus whenever this function is assigned to the constituent that lies in inter-verbal position, clause-initial, second and final position. This explanation is consistent with the pragmatic mode advanced by Bossuyt (1985: 15ff) and Tejada (1988: 83ff) and with the explanations for OE constituent order put forward by Dik (1980: 153) and Bossuyt (1985: 27), We find points of convergence with Bean (1983: 136) as well. We also put forward the hypothesis that a markedness hierarchy as regards pragmatic function assignment may be proposed, whose validity we try to demonstrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to assess the semantic transparency of Old English nominal and adjectival affixation. Three principles of semantic transparency are defined, requiring that (i) the attachment of an affix significantly modifies the meaning of the base of derivation; (ii) an affix performs one and the same lexical function in all the derivatives to which it is attached; (iii) a lexical function is performed by one and the same affix in all the derivatives where it applies. The discussion shows that the relation affix-function is overall more transparent than function-affix. The conclusion is drawn that the formation of Old English nouns and adjectives by affixal means is relatively transparent. Considering that approximately one fourth of the total vocabulary of Old English and one half of the derived lexicon have been analyzed, this conclusion clearly points to the relative transparency of Old English word-formation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article offers a critical evaluation of Functional Grammar (Dik, 1997a,b) by focusing on the main theoretical constructs of the theory, namely clauses, term phrases and complex constructions (clauses, noun phrases and complex sentences, respectively, in standard linguistic terminology). Emphasis is laid on the assessment of the descriptive apparatus of the theory, as well as on its genesis and latest developments, which are oriented towards discourse. Apart from the critical revision of the theory and its partial comparison with other functional models, the main conclusion that is reached is that Functional Grammar should consider—along with constructing and identifying reference—a third category of localizing reference (including spatial reference and temporal reference) that would provide for the generation of referential adverbials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper offers a non-intuitive definition of the English subject by discussing Keenan's coding and control properties and by contending that leakage, blocking properties (co-referentiality, omission of the relative and question target) and categorization must also be taken into account in the definition of this grammatical function. The consideration of leakage and blocking properties allows for a cross-theoretical approach to this syntactic phenomenon that may modify Keenan's hierarchy of subject properties and the hierarchy of syntactic functions of Keenan and Comrie. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]