Politeness-induced semantic change: The case of quand même

Beeching, K. (2005) Politeness-induced semantic change: The case of quand même. Language Variation and Change, 17 (2). pp. 1-27. ISSN 1469-8021

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Publisher's URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0954394505050076


Item Type:Article
Additional Information:This paper contributes to a growing body of theory which posits language-external, social, factors as a primary motor in diachronic change. Politeness theory and the use of variationist approaches enable us to posit, and test, the hypothesis of a type of pragmaticalisation which the author calls Politeness-induced Semantic Change (PISC): historical data on quand même are presented which give tentative credence to such a model. Moeschler and de Spengler's (1981) and Waltereit's (2001) speech-act theoretic analyses of quand même are reinterpreted within the framework of politeness theory and sociopragmatics. The ensuing corpus investigation of the grammaticalisation and pragmatico-semantic evolution of quand même from 1500-2000 highlights the fact that not only the innovation but also the propagation of a new form-function configuration depend on social factors. The article breaks new ground in adopting a corpus and variationist approach to both historical and contemporary data and in tracing the evolution of the senses of a term, using empirical and quantitative methods.
Faculty/Department:~Pre-2010 Faculty Structure > Social Sciences and Humanities > School of Humanities, Languages and Social Sciences
ID Code:6730
Deposited By: R. Upload account
Deposited On:22 Jan 2010 15:13
Last Modified:04 Oct 2011 02:38

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