The Diachrony of Classification Systems

THE DIACHRONY OF CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS
Editorial page
Title page
LCC data
Table of contents
Preface
Abbreviations and conventions
Introduction
	1. Background
	2. Origins
	3. Developments
	4. Diffusion
	5. Final remarks
	References
The semantic reduction of the noun universe and the diachrony of nominal classification
	1. Introduction
	2. A definition of nominal classification
	3. The pragmatics of semantic generality
	4. Semantic opacity and renewal
		4.1 Descriptive content of classifiers, semantically transparent and opaque classification
		4.2 From semantically transparent to opaque assignment
		4.3 Replacement of opaque classification by transparent classification
	5. Differential diffusability of nominal classification
	6. Summary and conclusion
	Acknowledgments
	References
Niger-Congo numeral classifiers in a diachronic perspective
	1. Introduction
	2. The numeral classifier systems in Niger-Congo
	3. Lexical sources and cognitive models of classifiers
		3.1 Body parts
		3.2 Basic level terms
		3.3 Botanical terms
		3.4 Terms of aggregation and partition
		3.5 Obscure etymology
	4. Syntactic sources of classifier constructions
	5. Grammaticalization: from noun to classifier
	6. Puzzles
	7. Conclusion
	Acknowledgments
	References
	Appendix
Semantic generalization in Ch’orti’ Mayan numeral classifiers
	1. Introduction
	2. Numeral classifiers in Ch’orti’
	3. The origin of -kojt and semantic generalization
	4. Sources of linguistic data on Ch’orti’
	5. The use of -kojt in Ch’orti’
	6. A shot in the arm for semantic generalization
	7. The further extension of meaning among human referents
	8. Discussion
	9. A change in momentum
	10. Conclusion
	References
Diachronic and synchronic aspects of the simplification of grammatical gender in an obsolescent language: The case of Irish
	1. Introduction
	2. Irish: Sociolinguistic background and the traditional gender system
		2.1 Sociolinguistic status of Irish
		2.2 Gender in traditional Irish
	3. Methodology
		3.1 The data
		3.2 Procedure
	4. Findings
		4.1 Agreement with the article
		4.2 Agreement with the adjective
		4.3 Pronominal agreement
		4.4 Summary
	5. Discussion
	6. Conclusion
	Acknowledgments
	References
Numeral classifier systems in the Araxes-Iran linguistic area: Numeral classifier systems in the Araxes-Iran linguistic area
	1. Introduction
	2. Overview of numeral classifiers
		2.1 Numeral classifiers: forms and meanings
	3. Behavior of numeral classifiers
		3.1 Usages of numeral classifiers
		3.2 Disallowed uses of numeral classifiers
		3.3 The numeral ‘1’
		3.4 Quantifiers and numeral classifiers
		3.5 Obligatory use of numeral classifiers as heads of NPs
	4. Diachrony
	5. Greenbergian typology
	6. Areality and fade-out
	7. Conclusion
	Acknowledgments
	References
The diachrony of Oceanic possessive classifiers
	1. Introduction
	2. The typical Oceanic pattern of attributive possessive constructions
	3. The diachrony of the possessive classifiers systems within Oceanic
		3.1 The Proto-Oceanic possessive system
		3.2 Reductions and expansions in Oceanic possessive systems
		3.3 The Polynesian pattern
		3.4 Possessive constructions in Oceanic: A brief summary
	4. Multiple possessive constructions in non-Oceanic Austronesian languages
	4. Multiple possessive constructions in non-Oceanic Austronesian languages
	5. Multiple possessive constructions in Papuan languages
	6. Summary and conclusions
	Acknowledgments
	References
Development and diffusion of classifier systems in Southwestern Amazonia
	1. Introduction
	2. Form and meaning of classifiers
		2.1 Kwaza (isolate)
		2.2 Kanoê (isolate)
		2.3 Aikanã (isolate)
		2.4 Movima (isolate)
		2.5 Itonama (isolate)
		2.6 Lakondê (Northern Nambikwaran)
		2.7 Cavineña (Tacanan)
		2.8 Arikapu (Jabutian, Macro-Jêan)
		2.9 Baure (Southern Arawakan)
		2.10 Karo (Ramarama, Tupian)
	3. Distribution and functions of classifiers
		3.1 Classifiers combined with nominal roots
		3.2 Classifiers combined with verbal roots
		3.3 Classifiers that function as nominalizers
		3.4 Interchangeability of classifiers and nouns
		3.5 Generic classifiers and obligatory grammatical slots
		3.6 Rare constructions
	4. The empty morpheme construction
		4.1 Kwaza
		4.2 Kanoê
		4.3 Aikanã
		4.4 Movima
		4.5 Lakondê
		4.6 Cavineña
		4.7 Arikapu
		4.8 Baure
	5. Discussion
		5.1 Classifying forms
		5.2 The empty morpheme
		5.3 Possessive classifiers
	6. Conclusion
	Acknowledgments
	References
Nominal and verbal classification: A comparative perspective
	1. Introduction: Basic idea of the paper
	2. Classification and compounding
		2.1 Nominal compounds and nominal classification
		2.2 Verbal compounds and verbal classification
	3. The functional range of verbal and nominal classification
		3.1 The functional range of compound-related nominal classification
		3.2 The functional range of compound-related verbal classification
		3.3 Light verbs and serial verb constructions in the light of verbal classification
	4. Why is classification recurrent in the nominal domain and relatively rare in the verbal domain?
		4.1 General remarks
		4.2 The role of classification in grammatical categories of the noun
		4.3 The role of classification in grammatical categories of the verb
	5. Conclusion: Some general considerations
	References
The diachrony of inflectional classes in four Germanic languages: What happens after transparency is lost
	1. Introduction
	2. Prehistory of inflectional classes in Germanic languages
		2.1 Prehistory of declensions
		2.2 Prehistory of conjugations
	3. Reorganization of inflectional classes in four Germanic languages
		3.1 Number of classes
		3.2 Exponence of inflectional classes
		3.3 Conditioning of class membership
	4. General discussion
		4.1 Declensions versus conjugations
		4.2 Refunctionalization
	5. Conclusions
	References
The history of verb classification in Nyulnyulan languages
	1. Introduction
		1.1 Aims and purposes
		1.2 Nyulnyulan family
	2. Features of verbal lexemes and constructions in Nyulnyulan languages
	3. Broad comparison of PV-IV collocations in the Nyulnyulan family
		3.1 Reflexes of some proto-PVs and their collocating IVs in Nyulnyulan languages
		3.1 Reflexes of some proto-PVs and their collocating IVs in Nyulnyulan languages
		3.2 Reconstruction of PV-IV pairings in Proto-Nyulnyulan
		3.3 PV-IV collocations in other Kimberley languages
	4. Comparison of CVC systems
		4.1 Semantics of Nyulnyul and Warrwa systems of verb classification
		4.2 Comparison of the extensions of the Nyulnyul and Warrwa categories
	5. The evolution of verb classification in Nyulnyulan languages
		5.1 The Proto-Nyulnyulan CVC as a verb classification system
		5.2 Subsequent evolution of verb classification in Nyulnyulan
	6. Conclusions
	Acknowledgments
	References
Author index
Language index
Subject index