1 - Introduction

Summary

The Jespersen Cycle and Theories of Syntactic Change

The Jespersen Cycle

The Jespersen Cycle (Jespersen, 1917) has long been regarded as a textbook case of grammaticalisation, found in many languages. The English Jespersen Cycle manifests itself as a sequence of overlapping stages, each formally distinct from the preceding one as in (1)–(3).

(1) Stage One: Sentential negation is marked by ne alone (c.1150–1300)

a. we ne moten halden Moses e lichamlice

we NEG might observe Moses’ law bodily

‘we might not observe Moses law literally’

(CMLAMBX1,89.735)

b. we ne mugen þat don

we NEG can that do

‘We cannot do that’

(CMTRINIT,103.1370)

(2) Stage Two: The sentential negator not co-occurs with ne. Sentential negation comprises two parts (c. 1150–1400)

a. ac of hem ne speke ic noht

but of them NEG spoke I not

‘but I did not speak of them’

(CMTRINIT,95.1272)

b. I ne may nat denye it

I NEG may not deny it

‘I may not deny it’

(CMBOETH,435.C1.262)

(3) Stage Three: Sentential negation is marked by not alone. (c.1350– 1500)

a. Thou shalt not do so

You ought not do so

‘You ought not do so’

(CMROLLTR,41.855)

b. I know nat the cause

I know not the cause

‘I do not know the cause’

(CMMALORY,627.3549)

The changes result in the grammaticalisation of not as a marker of sentential scope negation, and take place during a period from the ninth century to the? fteenth century. What changes constitute the Jespersen Cycle?