Roland Mühlenbernd Review: Linguistic Selection Case Marking Study Haspelmath’s Theory Theories and Models of Language Change Croft’s Theory Dialect Variation Session 9: Case Study II on Selection - Case Marking Emergence of PDM Spatial Separation of PDM Evolutionary Scenario of PDM Homework Roland Mühlenbernd June 30, 2015 1 / 32
Review: Universal Darwinism Roland Mühlenbernd Review: Linguistic Selection Case Marking Study Haspelmath’s Theory Croft’s Theory Mechanisms of universal evolution: Dialect Variation Emergence of PDM Spatial Separation of PDM 1. variation : continuing abundance of different elements Evolutionary Scenario of PDM 2. selection : number/probability of copies of elements - Homework depending on interaction between element features and environmental features 3. replication : reproduction/copying of elements 2 / 32
Review: Linguistic Selection Roland Mühlenbernd Review: Linguistic Selection Case Marking Study Two pathways of linguistic selection: Haspelmath’s Theory Croft’s Theory Dialect Variation 1. One variant ousts the other : e.g. ‘village’ substitutes Emergence of PDM Spatial Separation of PDM ‘thorp’ Evolutionary Scenario of PDM 2. The variants persist over time and become specialized Homework (functionally and/or socially) ◮ e.g. semantic function: ‘pork/pig’ refer to ‘meat/animal’ ◮ e.g. speaker groups: 1 pal, buddy [Am.], dude [Am.], bro [Am.], mate [Br.], cobber [Aus./NZ], cully [archaic] 1 classification according to dict.cc for finding a translation for German Kumpel . 3 / 32
Review: Linguistic Selection Roland Mühlenbernd Review: Linguistic Selection Case Marking Study Haspelmath’s Theory Croft’s Theory Dialect Variation Differential replication Emergence of PDM Spatial Separation of PDM ◮ is selection according to the distribution of linguistic Evolutionary Scenario of PDM Homework variants ◮ does not lead to a specific variant, but to a stable distribution (or eqilibrium ) of variants 4 / 32
Review: Linguistic Selection Roland Mühlenbernd Review: Linguistic Selection Case Marking Study Croft’s (2000) - main determinants of linguistic choices: Haspelmath’s Theory Croft’s Theory ◮ prestige Dialect Variation Emergence of PDM Spatial Separation of PDM ◮ accommodation Evolutionary Scenario of PDM Homework Note: Croft argues that the selection process ◮ is only driven by social factors ◮ has an outcome that must be functionally adaptive (for innovation) 5 / 32
Review: Linguistic Selection Roland Mühlenbernd Review: Linguistic Selection Case Marking Study Haspelmath’s Theory Croft’s Theory Dialect Variation Emergence of PDM Spatial Separation of PDM Note: prepositional dative marker is an optional marker, Evolutionary Scenario of PDM Homework ◮ used as a compensatory strategy for missing case distinction (Bavaria) ◮ determined by information structure (Northern Switzerland) ◮ used to avoid stress clashes, thus driven by phonological factors (Central Switzerland) Ergo: i) functional differentiation cannot be part of innovation, but of a subsequent (selection/adaptation) process OR ii) the same variant is produced simultaneously. 6 / 32
A Case Study of Case Marking Roland Mühlenbernd Review: Linguistic Selection Case Marking Study Haspelmath’s Theory Croft’s Theory ◮ target: test the evolutionary scenario (variation, selection) Dialect Variation Emergence of PDM against a case of dialect variation: prepositional Dative Spatial Separation of PDM Evolutionary Scenario of PDM marking in Upper German Homework ◮ assumption I: functional factors play an important role in selection ◮ assumption II: selection is a multi-factorial and multi-dimensional process 7 / 32
A Case Study of Case Marking Roland Mühlenbernd Review: Linguistic Selection Case Marking Study Uncontroversial among evolutionists: Haspelmath’s Theory Croft’s Theory ◮ change is a bi-product of many individual choices among Dialect Variation Emergence of PDM available variants (speakers don’t select a variant in order Spatial Separation of PDM Evolutionary Scenario of PDM to change their language) Homework ◮ the locus of language change is language use rather than incomplete language acquisition ◮ change involves a new variant’s i) inception and ii) attractiveness for selection Controversial: which factors are relevant for variant selection? 8 / 32
A Case Study of Case Marking Roland Mühlenbernd Review: Linguistic Selection Case Marking Study Haspelmath’s Theory Croft’s Theory Dialect Variation Relevant factors for variant selection? Emergence of PDM Spatial Separation of PDM ◮ functional adaptation : selection according to functionality Evolutionary Scenario of PDM Homework and usefulness of linguistic structure (Haspelmath 1999) ◮ innovation has functional motivations, whereas selection is purely socially motivated (Croft 2000) 9 / 32
Haspelmath: The Teleological Fallacy Roland Mühlenbernd Review: Linguistic Selection Case Marking Study Haspelmath’s Theory The teleological fallacy : taking functional statements as Croft’s Theory Dialect Variation sufficient explanation Emergence of PDM Spatial Separation of PDM Examples: Evolutionary Scenario of PDM Homework 1. “Syntactically relevant morphemes tend to occur at the periphery, in order to be visible for the syntax.” (Booij 1998) 2. “ Of was introduced in order to Case-mark NP/DP which would not otherwise be Case-marked.” (Lightfood 1999) 10 / 32
Haspelmath: The Teleological Fallacy Roland Mühlenbernd Review: Linguistic Selection In biology: teleological statements are implicitly purely causal Case Marking Study in accordance with evolution theory Haspelmath’s Theory Croft’s Theory Dialect Variation 1. Giraffes have long necks in order to be able to feed on the Emergence of PDM Spatial Separation of PDM leaves of high trees. Evolutionary Scenario of PDM Homework 2. At some earlier time, there was genetic variation: There were giraffes with somewhat longer necks and giraffes with somewhat shorter necks. Because giraffes with somewhat longer necks had the additional food source of high trees, they had greater reproductive success. Therefore the long-neck gene spread throughout the whole population. 11 / 32
Haspelmath: The Teleological Fallacy Roland Mühlenbernd Review: Linguistic Selection This translation works also well in linguistics: Case Marking Study Haspelmath’s Theory Croft’s Theory 1. In cat-s [k æ ts], the suffix consonant is voiceless in order Dialect Variation Emergence of PDM to facilitate the pronunciation of this obstruent cluster. Spatial Separation of PDM Evolutionary Scenario of PDM 2. At some earlier time, there was structural variation: The Homework suffix -s could be pronounced [z] or [s]. Because [k æ ts] required less production effort than [k æ tz], speakers chose it increasingly often. After some time, the form [k æ ts] had become very frequent and therefore was reanalyzed as obligatory, while [k æ tz] was no longer acquired and dropped out of the language. 12 / 32
Haspelmath’s Theory Roland Mühlenbernd The evolutionary scenario in linguistics presupposes three Review: Linguistic Selection hypotheses: Case Marking Study Haspelmath’s Theory 1. Languages show structural variation in all areas of Croft’s Theory Dialect Variation grammar, and language change is unthinkable without Emergence of PDM Spatial Separation of PDM structural variation Evolutionary Scenario of PDM Homework 2. frequency of use is determined primarily by the usefulness (or “user optimality”) of linguistic structures 3. high-frequency structures may become obligatory , and low-frequency items may be lost as a result of their (high or low) frequencies Note: Haspelmath discusses functional aspects of linguistic variants indeed, but “user optimality” of a variant might have a functional OR social interpretation. 13 / 32
Croft’s Theory Roland Mühlenbernd Review: Linguistic Selection Case Marking Study Haspelmath’s Theory Croft’s Theory Dialect Variation The selection process can be defined as a process in which Emergence of PDM Spatial Separation of PDM ◮ the differential extinction and proliferation of interactors Evolutionary Scenario of PDM (entities that interact as a cohesive whole with their Homework environment ) ◮ causes the differential perpetuation of the relevant replicators (entities that pass on their structure). 14 / 32
Croft’s Theory: Exercise 1 Roland Mühlenbernd Review: Linguistic Selection Case Marking Study Haspelmath’s Theory Croft’s Theory Seiler introduces the model of Croft (2000), which entails the Dialect Variation Emergence of PDM concepts ’replicator’, ’interactor’ and ’environment’. Assign Spatial Separation of PDM Evolutionary Scenario of PDM the appropriate definitions. Homework ◮ interactor : speaker ◮ replicator : linguistic structure ◮ environment : members of the speech community 15 / 32
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