Description
Book SynopsisThis book explores the diachronic emergence of the verb
have in English in its various grammatical uses. The development of grammatical functions of
have is analysed from pragmatic-semantic, morphosyntactic and phonetic angles. Apart from the well-known and formerly studied cases of the rise of perfect and obligative
have, the author describes the developments of the
had better structure as well as causative
have which have not received much scholarly attention thus far. He shows that the first examples of the fully grammaticalised constructions with
have generally appear earlier than it is commonly believed. He also offers possible motivations behind the growth of obligative and causative
have. This book proves that the changes leading to the rise of new grammatical constructions occur in a specific order: pragmatic-semantic changes precede morphosyntactic changes and phonetic reductions are the last to take place.
Table of ContentsContents: Grammaticalisation theory – Semanticisation of
have – Some cross-linguistic evidence from Polish – The rise of the
had better structure – The grammaticalisation of obligative modal
have to and
(have) got to – The auxiliation of
have in perfect construction – Along the possession-to-causation cline.
