From Noun to Quantifier: Pseudo-partitives and Language Change

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Abstract

Micro-variation in Germanic pseudo-partitives is investigated, focusing on the syntax and morphology of expressions where two nouns are juxtaposed without a linking preposition, attested in Middle English. A standard measure (pound), containers (gallon, ton, pipe, barrel, and sack) and a collective (pair) are examined in detail. Few similarities are found between the Middle English expressions and other Germanic languages for standard measures and containers, whereas the noun pair has syntactic, morphological and semantic similarities.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationHistorical Linguistics 2017 : Selected papers from the 23rd International Conference on Historical Linguistics, San Antonio, Texas 31 July-4 August 2017
EditorsBridget Drinka
Number of pages22
Place of publicationAmsterdam
PublisherJohn Benjamins Publishing Company
Publication date2020
Pages230–250
ISBN (Print)978 90 272 0479 0
ISBN (Electronic)978 90 272 6167
Publication statusPublished - 2020
SeriesAmsterdam Studies in the Theory and History of Linguistic Science. Series 4: Current Issues in Linguistic Theory
Volume350
ISSN0304-0763

Keywords

  • Collective nouns
  • Container nouns
  • Early Modern English
  • Germanic
  • Measure nouns
  • Middle English
  • Pseudo-partitives
  • Singular/plural

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