Language Acquisition and Change: A Morphosyntactic Perspective - Hardcover

Jurgen M. Meisel; Martin Elsig; Esther Rinke

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0748642250 ISBN 13: 9780748642250

Publisher: Edinburgh University Press, 2013

Synopsis

This is a theory of diachronic change based on studies of language acquisition. This monograph addresses diachronic change of languages in terms of a restructuring of speakers' internal grammatical knowledge. The authors answer questions about the circumstances surrounding grammatical change and attempt to identify causes, constructing a general theory of diachronic change consistent with insights from language acquisition. Historical linguistics commonly invokes the child as the principal agent of change. The authors therefore address the topic against the background of insights gained from extensive research into monolingual and bilingual language acquisition. In view of evidence showing that children are remarkably successful in reconstructing the grammars of their ambient languages, the authors reconsider a number of commonly held explanatory models of language change, including language contact and structural ambiguity in the input. Based on a variety of case studies, the discussion of these topics sheds new light on phenomena of change which have occupied historical linguists since the nineteenth century. In an innovative take on the subject, the authors argue that morphosyntactic change in core areas of grammar, more specifically in grammatical domains referring to parameters of Universal Grammar, typically happens in settings involving second language acquisition. The children acting as causal agents of restructuring are either (child) second language learners themselves or are continuously exposed to the speech of second language speakers of their target languages.

About this title

About the Author

Jurgen Meisel has been Professor of Romance Linguistics at the University of Hamburg for over 30 years. Martin Elsig is research assistant at the Collaborative Research Centre on Multilingualism, University of Hamburg. Esther Rinke is a lecturer at the Department of Romance Languages, University of Hamburg

From the Back Cover

'The claim that language acquisition is responsible for change is often not much more than a theoretical slogan. This book takes this claim seriously and convincingly confronts language change with recent findings from L1 and L2 acquisition, leading to an important reconsideration of the role of both.' Fred Weerman, University of Amsterdam A theory of diachronic change based on studies of language acquisition Under which circumstances does grammatical change come about? Is the child the principle agent of change as suggested by historical linguistics? This book discusses diachronic change of languages in terms of restructuring of speakers' internal grammatical knowledge. Efforts to construct a theory of diachronic change consistent with findings from psycholinguistics are scarce. Here, these questions are addressed against the background of insights from research on monolingual and bilingual acquisition. Given that children are remarkably successful in reconstructing the grammars of their ambient languages, commonly held views need to be reconsidered according to which language change is primarily triggered by structural ambiguity in the input and in settings of language contact. In an innovative take on this matter, the authors argue that morphosyntactic change in core areas of grammar, especially where parameters of Universal Grammar are concerned, typically happens in settings involving second language acquisition. Based on a variety of case studies, this discussion sheds new light on phenomena of change which have occupied historical linguists since the nineteenth century and will be welcomed by advanced undergraduate and graduate students as well as researchers in the fields of historical linguistics and language acquisition. Jürgen M. Meisel is Professor Emeritus at the University of Hamburg and Adjunct Professor at the University of Calgary. Martin Elsig is Research Assistant at Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main. Esther Rinke is Professor of Romance Linguistics at Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main. Cover image: School Scene in the Middle Ages, 1479 (c) akg-images. Cover design: [EUP logo] www.euppublishing.com

Edition details

• Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0748642250
• ISBN 13: 9780748642250
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 208