Clause linkage and degrees of grammaticalization

Abstract

AbstractThis paper deals with different types of verbal complementation of theGermanverbverdienen. It focuses on constructions that have been undergoing a grammaticalization process and thus express deontic modality, as inSie verdient geliebt zu werden(ʽShe deserves to be lovedʼ) andSie verdient zu leben(ʽShe deserves to liveʼ) (Diewald, Dekalo & Czicza 2021). These constructions are connected to parallel complementation types with passive and active infinitives containing a correlatees, as inSie verdient es, geliebt zu werdenandSie verdient es, zu leben, as well as finite clauses with the subordinatordasswith and without correlativees, as inSie verdient, dass sie geliebt wirdandSie verdient es, dass sie geliebt wird. This paper attempts to show a close comparative investigation of these six types of constructions based on their relevant semantic and syntactic properties in terms of clause linkage (Lehmann 1988). We analyze the relevant data retrieved from the DWDS corpus of the 20th century and present an expanded grammaticalization path forverdienen-constructions. The finite complementation withdassis regarded as an example of a separate structural option called “elaboration”. Concerning the use of correlativees, it is shown that it does not have any substantial effect on the grammaticalization of modalverdienen-constructions.