The Evolution of Complex Spatial Expressions Within the Romance Family: A Corpus-Based Study of French and Italian

Contents......Page 7
Acknowledgements......Page 11
List of Figures and Tables......Page 13
1 Research Topic......Page 17
2 Goals......Page 19
3 Contextualisation......Page 21
4 Chapter Overview......Page 22
1.1 Introduction......Page 23
1.2 Diachronic Evolution of (Complex) Prepositions......Page 25
2.1 Languages and Constructions......Page 31
2.2 Periods under Study......Page 32
3 Secondary Sources and Previous Studies......Page 33
3.1 French......Page 34
3.2 Italian......Page 39
3.3 Etymology......Page 44
3.4 Research on Similar Spatial Expressions in Other Languages......Page 45
1.1 Corpora Use in Historical Linguistics and Semantics......Page 46
1.3 Descriptions of the Databases Utilised......Page 49
1.4 Data Retrieval and Selection of Random Samples......Page 53
2.1 Functional Notions......Page 57
2.2 Qualitative and Quantitative Analyses......Page 60
2.3 Qualitative Methods Adopted......Page 61
2.5 A Cross-linguistic Perspective......Page 62
Chapter 4 Interpretative Framework......Page 64
1.2 Grammaticality Level......Page 65
1.3 Further Distinctions between Adverbial Expressions......Page 69
2.1 Entities Distinguished......Page 71
2.3 Types of Dynamic Uses......Page 79
2.4 Trajectory vs. Sweeping Uses......Page 81
3.1 Concrete and Abstract Configurations......Page 85
3.2 Literal vs. Figurative Interpretation......Page 86
4.1 Functional Character of the Ground......Page 87
4.2 Functional Notions......Page 89
5 Grammaticalisation Mechanisms......Page 104
1.1 À travers (de)......Page 107
1.2 Au travers (de)......Page 111
1.3 En travers (de)......Page 114
1.4 De travers......Page 118
2.1 Guidance......Page 122
2.2 Contrast......Page 129
2.3 Deviation......Page 136
3.1 From Concrete to Abstract......Page 138
3.4 Semantic Bleaching......Page 142
3.6 Decategorisation......Page 147
3.9 Unidirectionality......Page 150
3.10 Grammaticalisation Degree......Page 151
4 Conclusion......Page 153
1.1 A traverso/at(t)raverso (a, di, per)......Page 154
1.2 Al traverso (di)......Page 157
1.4 Di traverso (a)......Page 158
1.5 Traverso (a)......Page 164
2.1 Guidance......Page 167
2.2 Contrast......Page 172
2.3 Deviation......Page 178
3.1 From Concrete to Abstract......Page 181
3.4 Semantic Bleaching......Page 183
3.6 Decategorisation......Page 187
3.10 Grammaticalisation Degree......Page 190
4 Conclusion......Page 191
1.1 Prepositions, Adverbs and Adjectives......Page 192
1.2 Semantic Complements of Adverbs......Page 194
2.1 Static Configurations......Page 195
2.2 Type of Motion......Page 196
2.3 Type of Grounds......Page 200
2.4 Concrete vs. Abstract......Page 201
3 Functional Notions......Page 203
3.3 Lateral Orientation......Page 204
3.4 Focalisation on the Trajectory in the Ground (Change o fPosition-Motion)......Page 206
3.5 Spatial Continuity......Page 207
3.6 Minimal Trajectory......Page 208
3.7 Resistance to the Usual use of the Ground vs. Resistance to a (Meta-)physical Force......Page 209
3.8 Internality......Page 211
3.9 Dynamic vs. Static Semantics......Page 214
4 Grammaticality Level......Page 218
5 Conclusion......Page 219
1.1 Diachronic-Semantic Description......Page 221
1.2 Functional Concepts......Page 222
1.3 Grammaticalisation......Page 224
1.4 Contrastive Analysis......Page 225
2 On Some Theoretical Implications......Page 227
3 Perspectives for Future Research......Page 229
Bibliography......Page 231
Cited Text Index......Page 254
Author Index......Page 256
Subject Index......Page 258