A Study on the Grammaticalization of How

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the grammaticalization of how on both synchronic and diachronic levels, especially focusing on its various usages. For the purpose, this study first explores how the prototypical interrogative meanings of how are extended to the grammatical non-interrogative meanings, which include reference, exclamation, rhetorical question and conjunction. How is semi-grammaticalized in the usages of reference and is fully grammaticalized in the usage of conjunction. Based on an in-depth review of the literature, this paper proposes that the mechanisms of reanalysis and subjectivity should account for the process of how’s grammaticalization. Syntactic, semantic and pragmatic factors also motivated the process. The analysis has both synchronic and diachronic validity in that it proposes a model of historical development as well as a synchronic model for relating the various meanings of how. Synchronically, this paper contributes to the complex multi-senses of how in its lexical entry; diachronically, it represents the process of meaning extensions through cognitive links and driving mechanisms. This study concludes with some implications for applying the models suggested here to other multi-sense items.