Overview

This text considers the synchronic and diachronic syntax of finite clauses in Medieval French from a generative point of view. Two salient and closely related features of Old French, the verb-second constraint and the limited distribution of null subjects, are followed through the Middle French period where they evolve in largely independent ways. The author argues, after consideration of several areas of controversy, that V2 in (late) Old French is triggered by topicalization in root clauses. Such questions as the position of postverbal subjects from the grammar of French are also addressed. The work further compares the syntax of Medieval French to that of Modern French and the Germanic languages and provides extensive documentation from Old and Middle French texts.

Full Product Details

Author:   Barbara S. Vance
Publisher:   Springer
Imprint:   Springer
Edition:   1997 ed.
Volume:   41
Dimensions:   Width: 15.60cm , Height: 2.30cm , Length: 23.40cm
Weight:   1.690kg
ISBN:  

9780792346692

ISBN 10:   0792346696
Pages:   402
Publication Date:   30 September 1997
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

1: Introduction.- 1.0. V2 and Null Subjects in the History of French.- 1.1. The Theoretical Framework.- 1.2. The Texts and the Methodology.- 1.3. Outline.- Notes.- 2: Old French as a V2 Language.- 2.1. Verb-Second Word Order.- 2.2. Theoretical Approaches to V2 in Romance and Germanic.- 2.3. V2 in Embedded Clauses.- 2.4. Conclusion on Theories of V2.- Notes.- 3: Main Clause Word Order in Old French.- 3.0. Overview of the Chapter.- One: V2 Effects and Main Clause Word Order.- Two: V2 and the Nature of Spec, AgrP.- Notes.- 4: Subordinate Clause Word Order in Old French.- 4.0. Overview of the Chapter.- 4.1. SVX Clauses.- 4.2. SPCV and Relative QUI CV Clauses.- 4.3. The Status of V2 Inversion in Embedded Clauses.- 4.4. Non-V2 Inversion in Old French Embedded Clauses.- 4.5. Conclusion to Chapter Four.- Appendix I.- Appendix II.- Notes.- 5: Null Subjects in Old French.- 5.0. Introduction: Old French and the Romance Null Subject Languages.- 5.1. The Syntactic Distribution of pro in OFr.- 5.2. Identification of pro’s Content: The Role of Inflection.- 5.3. Exceptions to the Regular Distribution of pro in OFr.- 5.4. Null and Overt Atonic Pronouns in OFr Discourse.- 5.5. Conclusion to Chapter Five.- Notes.- 6: Null Subjects and Syntactic Change in Middle French.- 6.0. Overview.- 6.1. Syntactic Changes in the 15th Century.- 6.2. Against A V to C Analysis of CSV in Middle French.- 6.3. The Distribution of Null Subjects in the 15th Century.- 6.4. THE LOSS OF pro.- 6.5. Conclusion to Chapter Six.- Notes.- 7: The Decline and Loss of V2 in French.- 7.0. Introduction.- 7.1. Previous Accounts of the Loss of V2 in French.- 7.2. The Decline of V2.- 7.3. The Loss of V2.- 7.4. Conclusion: V2 and Null Subjects.- Notes.- References.- Index of Authors.- Index of Languages.

Reviews

'... this admirably meticulous study is a milestone in generativist historical linguistics.' Journal of French Language Studies, 9 (1999)

... this admirably meticulous study is a milestone in generativist historical linguistics.' Journal of French Language Studies, 9 (1999)

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