Dammel A, Kürschner S (2008)
Publication Language: English
Publication Type: Book chapter / Article in edited volumes
Publication year: 2008
Publisher: Benjamins
Edited Volumes: Language complexity: Typology, contact, change.
Series: = Studies in Language Companion Series 94
City/Town: Amsterdam
Pages Range: 243-262
Conference Proceedings Title: Language complexity. Typology, contact, change
ISBN: 9789027231048
We investigate the complexity of nominal plural allomorphy in ten Germanic languages from a contrastive and diachronic perspective. Focusing on one language family allows us to develop multidimensional criteria to measure morphological complexity and to compare different diachronical drifts. We introduce a three-step complexity metric, involving (1) a quantitative step, (2) a qualitative step, and (3) a validation step comparing the results from step (1) and (2) to actual language use. In this article, we apply the method’s two first steps to the plural allomorphy of our sample languages. Our criteria include for (1) the number of allomorphs and for (2) iconicity in form-meaning relationship, the basis of allomorph assignment, and the direction of determination between stem and suffix. Our approach reveals Faroese as the most complex language and English as the simplest one.
APA:
Dammel, A., & Kürschner, S. (2008). Complexity in nominal plural allomorphy. A contrastive survey of ten Germanic languages. In Miestamo Matti, Sinnemäki Kaius, Karlsson Fred (Eds.), Language complexity: Typology, contact, change. (pp. 243-262). Amsterdam: Benjamins.
MLA:
Dammel, Antje, and Sebastian Kürschner. "Complexity in nominal plural allomorphy. A contrastive survey of ten Germanic languages." Language complexity: Typology, contact, change. Ed. Miestamo Matti, Sinnemäki Kaius, Karlsson Fred, Amsterdam: Benjamins, 2008. 243-262.
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