Theories on the origin of the english progressive

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Drama, Anthologies
Cover of the book Theories on the origin of the english progressive by Fritz Hubertus Vaziri, GRIN Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Fritz Hubertus Vaziri ISBN: 9783640138531
Publisher: GRIN Publishing Publication: August 14, 2008
Imprint: GRIN Publishing Language: English
Author: Fritz Hubertus Vaziri
ISBN: 9783640138531
Publisher: GRIN Publishing
Publication: August 14, 2008
Imprint: GRIN Publishing
Language: English

Seminar paper from the year 2007 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics, grade: 1,3, Free University of Berlin (Institut für Englische Philologie), course: History and Variation of English , 11 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: The progressive form is a phenomenon frequently to be observed in Present Day English. But where does it actually come from? Has it always been part of English, or did it enter the language through another one? And if that is the case, which other language was involved? Different theories offer different explanations on questions like the above. This paper attempts to give a brief illustration of the major ideas on the origin of the progressive as we know it today. A final conclusion will sum up central findings and try to articulate an opinion of its own based on the inspected data. DENISON remarks that in Old English times constructions were used that consisted of two elements: a form of the verb beon/wesan and a present participle (V(i)ende). Such syntagms strongly resemble the progressive in its modern appearance. There are several opinions circulating, as far as the question is concerned where the progressive comes from and how it turned out to be what it is now. Some scholars assume that the progressive developed as a result of a contact between English and the Celtic languages, others consider it more probable that an encounter with Latin was responsible, and finally, a third group believes no other language's influence played a role in the development of the progressive, but that it evolved instead within Old English independently. Relevant aspects of these positions will be shortly outlined hereafter. ISAAC points out 'that there has been an undeniable contact between English and the Celtic languages' but remains sceptical with regard to the issue of this contact's significance for the development of linguistic features in English. MEID appears to be more confident in this matter, especially in connection with a possible Celtic influence on the English aspectual system. And, indeed, several reasons suggest the possibility of a Celtic origin concerning the progressive form as it appears in Present Day English. The first is a very general one: Celtic has been among the languages that had some impact on the development of English at a certain point. Why shouldn't it be possible, therefore, that it was responsible for the progressive as well?

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Seminar paper from the year 2007 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics, grade: 1,3, Free University of Berlin (Institut für Englische Philologie), course: History and Variation of English , 11 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: The progressive form is a phenomenon frequently to be observed in Present Day English. But where does it actually come from? Has it always been part of English, or did it enter the language through another one? And if that is the case, which other language was involved? Different theories offer different explanations on questions like the above. This paper attempts to give a brief illustration of the major ideas on the origin of the progressive as we know it today. A final conclusion will sum up central findings and try to articulate an opinion of its own based on the inspected data. DENISON remarks that in Old English times constructions were used that consisted of two elements: a form of the verb beon/wesan and a present participle (V(i)ende). Such syntagms strongly resemble the progressive in its modern appearance. There are several opinions circulating, as far as the question is concerned where the progressive comes from and how it turned out to be what it is now. Some scholars assume that the progressive developed as a result of a contact between English and the Celtic languages, others consider it more probable that an encounter with Latin was responsible, and finally, a third group believes no other language's influence played a role in the development of the progressive, but that it evolved instead within Old English independently. Relevant aspects of these positions will be shortly outlined hereafter. ISAAC points out 'that there has been an undeniable contact between English and the Celtic languages' but remains sceptical with regard to the issue of this contact's significance for the development of linguistic features in English. MEID appears to be more confident in this matter, especially in connection with a possible Celtic influence on the English aspectual system. And, indeed, several reasons suggest the possibility of a Celtic origin concerning the progressive form as it appears in Present Day English. The first is a very general one: Celtic has been among the languages that had some impact on the development of English at a certain point. Why shouldn't it be possible, therefore, that it was responsible for the progressive as well?

More books from GRIN Publishing

Cover of the book 'I have a wyf, the worste that may be' - The representation of marriage in the Canterbury Tales by Fritz Hubertus Vaziri
Cover of the book The Notion of the Grotesque in Contemporary Australian Cinema by Fritz Hubertus Vaziri
Cover of the book Male protagonists and their marital situation in Katherine Mansfield's short stories 'The Stranger', 'At The Bay' and 'A Birthday' by Fritz Hubertus Vaziri
Cover of the book Teaching EFL Pronunciation: Why, What and How? by Fritz Hubertus Vaziri
Cover of the book Aspects of the private-public experiences of cinema-going by Fritz Hubertus Vaziri
Cover of the book Emily Dickinson's Death Poetry by Fritz Hubertus Vaziri
Cover of the book Channel Design for the European Trade with Beverages - A Case Study about Beer-Mixtures by Fritz Hubertus Vaziri
Cover of the book Roma Holocaust by Fritz Hubertus Vaziri
Cover of the book Symbolism of the Scottish Devolution by Fritz Hubertus Vaziri
Cover of the book Mrs. Warren and the problem of prostitution and the temptations of Vivie Warren in Bernard Shaw's 'Mrs. Warren's Profession' by Fritz Hubertus Vaziri
Cover of the book Magical Realism in Toni Morrison's Beloved and Ana Castillo's So Far from God by Fritz Hubertus Vaziri
Cover of the book An evaluation of the impact of gender, racial/ethnic background, social class, family and peer influence on juvenile delinquency by Fritz Hubertus Vaziri
Cover of the book The influence of gender and ethnic origin on students' willingness to pay for music and their motivation to pirate by Fritz Hubertus Vaziri
Cover of the book To be or not to be - The question of identity in selected postmodern American short stories by Fritz Hubertus Vaziri
Cover of the book The Swiss Banking System & Financial Market by Fritz Hubertus Vaziri
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy