Principles of Diachronic Syntax

Lightfoot, David W.

ISBN 10: 0521220823 / ISBN 13: 9780521220828

Published by Cambridge University Press, 1979

About this Item

Cambridge University Press, 1979. 1st edition, 1st printing. Printed blue cloth. X + [430] pp. Price sticker inside front cover. Dust jacket has some foxing and wear to corners and ends of spine. Spine is blunted. Pages are clean, white, and unmarked: seemingly unused. ; Cambridge Studies in Linguistics; Vol. 23; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 440 pages.

Seller Inventory # 26249

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Principles of Diachronic Syntax
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication Date: 1979
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521220823
• ISBN 13: 9780521220828
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: First Edition; First Printing.
• Condition: Near Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good-

About this title

Synopsis

The study of syntactic change has been much neglected in the past. Historical linguists have tended to concentrate on phonology, lexis and morphology whilst most theoretical studies of syntax have been deliberately synchronic in intention. In particular, theories of generative grammar have not been responsive to diachronic data and a fortiori have not yielded a convincing account of language change or of the interrelationships between different kinds of change. This study will be of interest to a wide range of linguists. It offers one of the first systematic accounts of a difficult and important topic, with implications for the whole field of linguistics and language study.

Book Description

The study of syntactic change has been much neglected in the past. Historical linguists have tended to concentrate on phonology, lexis and morphology whilst most theoretical studies of syntax have been deliberately synchronic in intention.