Diachronic Development Research Articles

VOVO ovvero del trattamento di wo iniziale in veneziano

In this paper, following the drafting of the entry vovo ‘egg’ for the VEV – Vocabolario storico‑etimologico del Veneziano (directed by Lorenzo Tomasin e Luca D’Onghia), the diachronic evolution of the word-initial diphthong wo is analysed, both in Venetian and Friulian varieties. Two possible developments are registered: wo > vo and wo > vwo. Our proposal is to account for both these developments as instances of a fortition process. Specifically, in the second case the process is characterised not by a simple melodic change as in the first case, but rather by the spreading of the melody of the approximant w to a preceding temporal X-slot, with the resulting sequence *wwo being then phonetically re-analysed as vwo.

The repercussions of OV > VO shift in Hungarian: Variation and change in syntactic complex predicate formation

AbstractThis paper investigates the diachronic development of Hungarian word order, focusing on the syntactic position in front of the finite verb in light of the syntactic shift from OV to VO order. The so-called Verb Modifiers (VMs), which precede the verb in Modern Hungarian, showed significant word order variation in earlier periods. It is examined how this variation, and especially the difference between verbal particles and other VMs, can be accounted for. The study concludes that the VM–V order is not a syntactic remnant but a result of a syntactic change that affects all VMs already in the early texts.

What transcends “translation universals” across time?

Abstract Translation universals have been a central focus in corpus-based translation studies (CBTS), providing key insights into translated texts. However, their diachronic aspects remain underexplored despite extensive study. This study addresses this gap using Biber’s (1988) linguistic feature indicators. It primarily investigates the diachronic evolution of register features in translated Chinese texts across four sampling periods, aiming to identify potential translation-specific features that may emerge over time. The study utilizes the CDCMC, a diachronic composite corpus comprising twenty million words sampled over four periods and spanning five genres. The research findings are as follows: (1) from a diachronic perspective, our analysis reveals a notable tendency towards “leveling out” in text variety among translated Chinese texts, with changes being comparatively smaller than those observed in original Chinese texts; (2) diachronic analysis revealed significant differences in four-dimensional features between translated and original Chinese texts, highlighting that translated texts are more informative, logically and semantically explicit, and demonstrate stronger argumentative and persuasive qualities than original Chinese texts; (3) multivariate regression analysis indicates stable linguistic traits over time with significant stage-wise variations, supporting translation as “constrained language” while also suggesting translated Chinese texts possess a degree of “activeness” compared to originals.

Endings -s and -st in the 2nd Person Singular Present Indicative in Old English

Abstract The replacement of the ending -s with -st in the 2nd person singular present indicative is an often-discussed diachronic development in Old English. Whereas most accounts center on the origins of -st, the present study focuses on the competition between the two endings throughout the Old English period. The current examination of the witnesses dating between the ninth and eleventh centuries shows that the -s- and -st-forms did not contrast on the phonological and morphological features generally cited in the analyses of this change. The adjacency of the pronominal subject did not affect the choice of the inflection either. Instead, initially the -s-forms occurred in the SV and VS environments whereas the -st-forms were restricted to the SV environments. This distribution explains why the verbs ending in -stu, which appeared only in the VS environments, could not have triggered the change of -s to -st. As the ending -st spread to the VS environment as well, the ending -s was confined to the VS environments where it survived into the twelfth century.

Diachronic evolution of /e ɛ o ɔ/ in French across 100 years of speech archives

Abstract This study explores the diachronic variation of mid-vowel aperture (/e, ɛ, o, ɔ/) in word-final and penultimate-syllable positions in vowel harmony (VH) contexts in declamatory/journalistic French from 1925 to 2023. Our corpora include two pre-existing corpora – the INA broadcast archives corpus (1940–1999) and the ESTER corpus (2000–2004) – as well as two novel corpora, which include recordings from the Archives de la Parole by Hubert Pernot (1925–1929) and a selection from Radio France and YouTube spanning 2020 to 2023. Our results suggest a general tendency of VH weakening over the last century. Additionally, we found a significant acoustic convergence in terms of aperture between vowels /o/ and /ɔ/, but no convergence between /e/ and /ɛ/ in word-final position, contrary to prior research. An auxiliary imitation experiment was designed to investigate the correlation between the loud/projected voice in older recordings and the F1 of mid-vowels in VH contexts. The imitation experiment reveals a significant increase in F1 in loud declamatory speech. However, no effect of speech style on VH was observed, supporting the diachronic process of VH reduction.

Diachronic evolution in subsistence strategies of ancient humans from the Neolithic Age to the Bronze Age in the Western Liaohe River Basin and its influencing factors

The Western Liaohe River Basin, rich in prehistoric cultures, is one of the significant origins of Chinese civilization. However, what is the subsistence basis that supports the development of prehistoric cultures in this region? More importantly, which role did agriculture play in the development of various prehistoric cultures? Which factors drive the diachronic evolution in subsistence strategies? These issues are worthy of study. Based on this, we systematically collected zooarchaeological, archaeobotanical, and stable isotope data from various prehistoric archeological cultural sites spanning from the Neolithic Age to the Bronze Age in the Western Liaohe River Basin, attempting to explore their economic characteristics, evolution process as well as driving factor. The study found that in the Western Liaohe River Basin, the cultivation of millet crops may have begun as early as the Xiaohexi cultural period, and domestic pigs and dogs may have occurred in the Xinglongwa cultural period (Xionglongwa and Xionglonggou site respectively). However, during Hongshan cultural period, collection and hunting (cervids) remained the main subsistence strategy. In the Lower Xiajiadian cultural period, millet agriculture and domestic pig breeding replaced gathering and hunting, as the predominant subsistence strategy. This subsistence pattern was also adopted by subsequent Upper Xiajiadian cultural populations, and in some areas, animal husbandry developed during this period. We analyze that the evolution of the subsistence strategies of the prehistoric humans in this region may be related with Holocene climate change. Meanwhile, other factors such as improvements in production technology, population pressure and the environmental impacts they brought may also play a role. This study reveals the evolution process of subsistence strategies of prehistoric cultures in the Western Liaohe River Basin, and is of great significance in understanding the relationship between subsistence evolution of ancient populations and environmental changes in northern China.

Semiotically deconstructing parental and adolescent failed communication: It’s not what they’re saying, it’s their words

Language change and creativity among adolescent language use, is nothing new. However, teachers in schools and parents in homes continue to feel left out of the linguistic figured world of the youth that they teach or raise, often leading to either perceived or real failed communication. In this study I offer a thoughtful and perhaps unique social semiotic analysis of the process and motivation for youth creation of new words or the resemanticization of existing words. Understanding the need for youth to create their own linguistic worlds for acceptance into social worlds has less to do with creating a barrier between them and their parents or teachers and more to do with positive identity development, could be the key for unlocking positive communication with the adults in their lives. Within, I put forth the idea that there exist purposeful in-groups and out-groups, of which the out-groups can be further divided into desirable and un-desirable out-groups. It is important to uncover the different affordances of existing terms and to create inventories of new terms and their synchronic meanings and possible diachronic evolution, in order for parents to understand the motive and need for youth creativity with language. Accepting the possibility, that youth are simply constructing and describing the world around them, changes the paradigm of parental-adolescent communication from a gulf or abyss to a potential bridge or a passageway connecting the two worlds.

The Structural Complexity and Evolutionary Patterns of German Grammar

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the complexities inherent in German grammar, focusing on key features such as the case system, verb conjugation patterns, and syntactic structures. The research explores the diachronic evolution of German grammar, tracing its development from Old High German through Middle High German, and examines how historical linguistic changes continue to influence modern usage. Additionally, the study addresses the cognitive and pedagogical challenges that learners face, offering targeted strategies for effective grammar instruction, including contrastive analysis and contextualized practice. By situating German grammar within a broader linguistic and historical context, this research contributes to our understanding of language complexity and the interplay between grammatical structure and language learning.

Attraction or differentiation: diachronic changes in the causative alternation of Chinese change of state verbs

Abstract This study examines the interplay of attraction and differentiation through the diachronic encoding of causative alternations in Chinese. A corpus-based analysis is conducted to profile the use of two Change of State verbs (COS verbs), pò ‘break’ and kāi ‘open’, focusing on their argument structure constructions. The analysis yields two main insights: (i) In Chinese, there are four pairs of causative alternations. The first pair, CA1, involving the alternation between NP1+COS+NP2 and NP2+COS, serves as the source for two diachronic trajectories. In the first trajectory, NP1+COS+NP2 is replaced by NP1+V+COS+NP2, and forms CA2 with NP2+COS. Subsequently, NP2+COS transitions into NP2+V+COS, and constitutes CA3 with NP1+V+COS+NP2. In the second trajectory, NP1+COS+V+NP2 and NP2+COS+V emerge and form CA4. (ii) Evidence of attraction is found in the mutual influence between the causative variants NP1+V+COS+NP2 and NP1+COS+V+NP2, and in the modeling effect of the causative variant NP1+V+COS+NP2 on the inchoative variant NP2+V+COS. Differentiation is supported by the anchoring force of a larger constructional network, including the transitive/intransitive opposition and compound constructions. This study advances the theoretical understanding of the intertwinement of attraction and differentiation by elucidating the diachronic evolution of causative alternations in Chinese.

Evolution of Category of the Other in Works of Tom Wolfe

This article addresses the artistic embodiment of the category of the Other in the works of American journalist and writer Tom Wolfe. The study focuses on Wolfe’s early journalistic essays, compiled in collections published in the early 1960s, as well as his later novel “I Am Charlotte Simmons” (2004). These texts are separated by nearly the entire second half of the 20th century — a period marked by the emergence, flourishing, and decline of postmodernism. The aim of this work is to trace the diachronic evolution of the author’s understanding of the category of the Other, as represented in his early and late texts. The desire for otherness among young people in the first post-war decades signified a fundamental rejection of norms, rules, and laws in the name of rejecting all forms of totalitarianism, which led to the catastrophic destruction of humanity during World War II. As a journalist, Wolfe objectively and empathetically depicts the diverse lifestyles of a new generation. He illustrates the consequences of these emerging trends in his university novel written forty years later. The article demonstrates that this work presents the otherness of various status groups within the university community through a multi-layered conflict. However, these groups remain isolated and hostile towards one another. The abandonment of rational consciousness has led to the primitivization of individuality and the disintegration of education. The novel serves as a vivid illustration of the negative outcomes of postmodernism.

Textual studies of the era of big data and neural networks

This article analyses the emergence of new technologies for working with big data which can be highly helpful to philologists, studying the diachronic development. First of all, that applies to the study and publication of Old Russian manuscripts with traditional liturgical texts used for church service. These manuscripts existed in a huge number of folios, and in the process of copying were subjected to considerable textual unification. That makes it very difficult to study them by the laborious methods of traditional textual criticism. Now, when the full text of the monuments can be automatically processed, the creation of the Linguistic intellectual environment (LIE) has been lounged. This tool will provide new opportunities for the study of Slavonic liturgical texts from different historical periods. As a result, we will create a corpus of liturgical texts of the 11th–17th centuries, obtained using a program for automatic text recognition of manuscripts, with annotation und search module. The user of the LIE will be able to receive a complete list of variant readings for each fragment of a liturgical book of the widest range of manuscripts. In fact, we are talking of a new type of publication of traditional liturgical texts, when the user can set the parameters for the edition in accordance with his research interests.

The Semantic Constellation of Byzantine asteiotēs

Abstract Modern scholars have emphasized the importance of the study of asteiotēs ( literally, ‘urbanity’ ) for a better understanding of the socio-cultural history of Byzantium. This multifaceted concept is generally described as a canon of urbane refinement, increasingly linked to the notion of wit. But does this definition apply to all the sources dealing with asteiotēs? While not claiming to provide a definitive answer, this paper illustrates a methodological approach that may help to address this and other questions in a more comprehensive way than has been attempted so far. Relying on the combination of hermeneutic approach to the sources and quantitative investigation that is the hallmark of historical semantics, this study traces a provisional semantic constellation of asteiotēs. The latter, in turn, is instrumental in locating some relevant case studies ( eleventh to fourteenth centuries ). A comparative analysis of these texts reveals some significant trends in the diachronic evolution of asteiotēs, which are already sufficient to nuance previous scholarly assumptions and to point to new avenues of research.

From pre-owned printers to pristine Porsches

Abstract Recent years have seen a considerable increase in e-commerce, with sales forecast to continue rising over the coming years. This study provides a corpus linguistic analysis of item descriptions on eBay’s UK website, on which both members of the public and businesses can offer goods for sale. It is based on two corpora of items sold on the site in 2015 and 2020 which together contain 412,601 item descriptions and over 57 million words of text. The analysis applies corpus linguistic methods to gain further insight into the diachronic development of language use on eBay, to explore linguistic features in item descriptions and across product categories, and to relate word choice to product selling price. Its findings offer new understanding of the changing language of online selling and indicate how a corpus linguistic methodology may be used to explore the impact of linguistic features on sales figures.

Corruption perceptions in the Schengen Zone and their relation to education, economic performance, and governance.

In the quest for integrity and transparency, the perception of corruption within a state not only undermines trust in governance but also hinders sustainable progress. This study investigates the relationship between education, economic performance, and governance and their impact on the assessment of corruption in the context of sustainable development goals. The research framework included data from 14 European countries, members of the Schengen zone, using panel data for the period 2003-2022. The analysis of the sample indicators guided us to apply further advanced research methods. Principal Components Analysis was applied to reduce dimensionality. Under various assumptions related to heterogeneity, stationarity and exogeneity, panel Fixed Effects (FE) and Dynamic Panel with Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) were applied to link the drivers and the perception of corruption. The results are twofold: (i) on the one hand, the diachronic evolution of corruption, education index, economic performance or governance perceptions reveals different patterns for the countries of the Schengen zone; (ii) on the other hand, the composite index for education and governance assessment had a significant impact on corruption perceptions, while economic performance showed no apparent link to corruption. Incorporating the effects of economic and political shocks, the study will explore the resilience of the Schengen Zone's governance against corruption, particularly by examining the effectiveness of crisis management and education's role in reinforcing integrity. It will also conduct a longitudinal analysis to assess how these shocks influence corruption perceptions over time, offering insights into the adaptability of policy responses and their lasting impact on public trust. The findings establish new research pathways for academics and provide valuable incentives to policymakers and professional trainers to improve mechanisms for combating corruption.

The synchronic and diachronic evolution of key themes around SDG 4 before and after 2015: From a quantitative analysis of web-downloaded texts

The authoritative ideas of what education should be like under the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4) are constructed through discourse among key actors of the “international education community” at large. This article presents the evolution of international education discourse, comparing the periods before and after September 2015. The analysis is presented in two parts. The first part discusses the period before the adoption of SDGs in 2015, during which the agenda was formulated through discourse. The author identifies themes such as cognitive and noncognitive skills, learning outcomes, measurement and indicators. Actors shaping the discourse included mission-driven civil society organisations (CSOs), constituency-based CSOs, technical specialist groups, UN Member States and philanthropic organisations. The second part is based on a large sample text mining using 832 web-downloaded texts published between 2015 and 2022. The list of key themes largely mirrors those identified in the first part, although the relative weight among them has changed over time. The emphasis has shifted from global, structural topics to more local, specific ones, with increased attention on individual learners and their skills and knowledge. It suggests the uprooted nature of global governance, particularly at the time of SDG adoption. The fact that the term “SDGs” has permeated to the household level reflects widening participation in the global discourse on education. The author observes two contrasting perspectives: one discusses education’s contributions to noneducational goals, such as employment, economic growth, achieving sustainability or guaranteeing basic human rights; while another represents traditional educationalism, which tends to equate schooling with the traditional classifications of primary, secondary and higher education.

Enhancing urban identity through the refined management of architectural styles: insights from Wuhan

ABSTRACT The shaping of urban features is profoundl influenced by the underlying urban context, and architectural features and style management are important parts of the protection and cultivation of urban identity. However, in China, oversight in managing the urban context often results in neglect of the cultural values embedded in architectural aspects at the micro level. This, in turn, contributes to the convergence and disorder of urban architectural features and styles. This study builds upon the significance of the urban context and takes the typical Chinese megacity Wuhan as a case study. First, the research systematically outlines the diachronic development of architectural features and styles in Wuhan and meticulously analyses the prevailing problems. Subsequently, an evaluation is conducted on the efficacy of existing architectural features and style management policies and the approval processes for architectural schemes. Finally, the research formulates a comprehensive architectural feature and style management and implementation system that harmonizes Wuhan’s urban cultural heritage and urban identification characteristics. This paper aims to contribute to the refinement of urban identity management and the preservation of architectural diversity to foster a more cohesive and culturally resonant urban environment in Wuhan.

Lexical niche and sustainability: an ecolinguistic perspective

Abstract This paper proposes the innovative concept of lexical niche to analyze the ecology of vocabulary from an ecolinguistic perspective. Through the examination of niche breadth and overlap, we quantitatively assess the vitality and competition of six typical Chinese eating verbs: shi (食), fan (饭), can (餐), dan (啖), ru (茹), and chi (吃). The analysis reveals their diachronic evolution in the history of the Chinese language (temporal niche), their synchronic distribution in Chinese dialects (spatial niche), and their verb-object collocation (functional niche). The findings indicate the following: (1) Shi, fan, can, dan, and ru originated in Early Old Chinese, while chi emerged in Late Old Chinese. (2) The niche breadths of the six eating verbs are as follows: 2.585, −2.391, −2.242, −0.108, −1.734, and 3.889, respectively. Chi demonstrates the highest vitality, followed by shi; fan, can, dan, and ru exhibit extremely low vitality. (3) Shi originated in the Pre-Qin dynasty, serving as the dominant eating verb in ancient times with robust competition. However, in modern times, it has evolved into a morpheme for compound words, displaying weak sustainability. Chi, born in the Han dynasty, replaced shi as the dominant eating verb by the late Tang dynasty, establishing itself as the most competitive verb to date, characterized by strong sustainability.

4D vizualizace archeologického naleziště: Případová studie z mladopaleolitické lokality Milovice IV, Česká republika

The paper discusses using three-dimensional (3D) models in archaeological research and their combination for four-dimensional (4D) visualisation. The acquisition of 3D models during an archaeological excavation provides high-accuracy records of sites, entire find situations, and individual archaeological features or finds, allowing for their further exploration, study, and analysis at any time. When combined with GIS, 3D models can allow spatial and volumetric analyses, revealing site formation processes. With time as an additional dimension, their combination can also allow site reconstruction and spatio-temporal analysis, providing a perspective on the diachronic evolution of the site. Such use, in the sense of 4D visualisation, can markedly enhance the interpretation of archaeological data. The case study focuses on the multi-layered Upper Paleolithic site of Milovice IV in the Pavlov Hills region of South Moravia, Czech Republic, where 3D data recording was incorporated into the excavation processes. The paper evaluates the effectiveness of 4D mosaics delivered by merging separate 3D models. It turns out that 4D site-scale mosaics, obtained by merging separate models, encounter certain obstacles and are unsuitable for detailed visualisation and interpretation. Conversely, small-(excavation squares)-scale 4D mosaics can more vividly demonstrate the diachronic development of a site, the spatio-temporal relationships between artefacts, and the fieldwork workflow. It is also apparent that the 2D presentation of 4D models has limitations, and thus, other forms of presentation, kept within the virtual space, could better utilise all the benefits of spatiotemporal visualisations.

From comparative to causal relations: the case of siccome ‘because’ in the history of Italian

Abstract This article investigates how adverbial causal clauses come into being by tracking the diachronic development of the lexical item siccome ‘because’ from Old to Contemporary Italian. We show that adverbial causal clauses introduced by siccome in Contemporary Italian originate from comparative-similative clauses. By describing the steps of this diachronic change, we demonstrate that in specific contexts the comparative-similative marker has paved the way for a comparison between two events entailing a causal relation. The change is formalized by adopting a free relative clause analysis (Cinque 2020a. On the double-headed analysis of “headless” relative clauses. In Ludovico Franco & Paolo Lorusso (eds.), Linguistic variation: Structure and interpretation, 169–196. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter) to comparative and causal clauses.

The subjunctive alternation in Indian English

AbstractThe study at hand is an exploration of the alternation between the mandative subjunctive and its equivalent modal construction with the verb should in Indian English. The study complements the growing body of research on the morphosyntax of the variety and it enhances our understanding of the relatively under‐researched alternation. It adds a special focus on the short‐term diachronic development of the subjunctive alternation in Indian English by using data from the South Asian Varieties of English corpus and its 2020 update. The following research questions are being investigated in the paper: Which factors influence the alternation between subjunctive and should in Indian English; are there short‐term diachronic adjustments to the subjunctive paradigm? A multifactorial model was fitted on 508 extracted data points with the following predictors: lexical diversity, newspaper, word count, distance, gender, linking word, negation, subject number, subject person, time and trigger lemma. The results show minor diachronic adjustments and highlight well‐known predictors of the alternation like voice as important factors.