The semantic and lexical range of the ditransitive construction in the history of (North) Germanic

Bibliographic Data

ID20395663
AuthorsJóhanna Barðdal (0000-0003-0164-4249, University of Bergen, corresponding author)
Year2007
Volume14
Issue1
Pages9-30
Publication date2007-03-16
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueFunctions of Language (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0929-998X • E-ISSN: 1569-9765
PublisherJohn Benjamins Publishing Company (PUBLISHER • NL)
DOI10.1075/fol.14.1.03bar
OpenAlexW2133825753
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited5

Current analyses of the semantic structure of the ditransitive construction in English assume that the construction consists of approximately nine semantic subconstructions, namely those of actual, intended, retained and metaphorical transfer (and some corresponding subconstructions). An examination of the ditransitive construction in Icelandic reveals at least seventeen subconstructions in that language. In addition to most of the subconstructions found in English, the ones in Icelandic also denote transfer along a path, possession, utilizing, enabling, hindrance, constraining and mental activities. An investigation of the ditransitive construction in the most archaic Swedish and Norwegian dialects reveals a significant overlap with Icelandic, but also some overlap with English and German. This comparative evidence permits a reconstruction of the semantic structure of the ditransitive construction common to the Germanic language area

Geography · German · Germanic languages · Icelandic · Linguistics · Norwegian · Old English · Computer Science · History · Lexicography and Language Studies · Linguistics and language evolution · Philosophy · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation

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