Spreading Patterns Diffusional Change in the English System of Complementation [Hardcover]

Spreading Patternsexamines how new constructions emerge and spread through the grammar of a language, in a process called diffusion . This is done by tracking the development of three types of complements from the Middle English period to the present day. These are subject-controlled gerund complements, forELto-infinitives, and subject-controlled participial complements. In the first half of the book, De Smet focuses on how and why patterns diffuse. In the second half, which is largely corpus-based, De Smet tests his theoretical model of diffusion on the three complement types. His work demonstrates how diffusion interacts with the grammatical system of complementation, how diffusion proceeds, step-by-step, and why diffusion is directional.

Spreading Patternswill appeal to scholars and advanced students of English, history of English, and historical linguistics.

Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: The corpus data
Chapter 3: Complementation
Chapter 4: Diffusional change
Chapter 5: For...to-infinitives
Chapter 6: Integrated participle clauses
Chapter 7: Gerund complements
Chapter 8: Conclusions
References

Hendrik De Smetis a Postdoctoral Fellow in Linguistics at the University of Leuven.