Demonstrative or article? The case of ten in Polish
Demonstrative or article? The case of ten in Polish
Author(s): Artur BartnikSubject(s): Language studies, Language and Literature Studies, Theoretical Linguistics, Syntax, Eastern Slavic Languages
Published by: Towarzystwo Naukowe KUL & Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II
Keywords: grammaticalization; demonstrative pronouns; definite article; spoken Polish; semantic criteria; formal criteria
Summary/Abstract: The paper discusses the syntactic status of the Polish demonstrative pronoun ten ‘this’ in the light of grammaticalization theory. The discussion begins with establishing formal (morphosyntactic) as well as semantic criteria for discriminating between articles and demonstratives. Then it reviews arguments for the demonstrative status of ten put forward in the literature. The paper ends with providing evidence for the definite article status of ten. Although the primary function of ten is still that of a demonstrative pronoun, it reveals some traces of categorial change on the grammaticalization cline in spoken Polish.
Journal: Roczniki Humanistyczne
- Issue Year: 63/2015
- Issue No: 11
- Page Range: 7-20
- Page Count: 14
- Language: English
