22 - Word Meanings and Concepts

Summary

Traditionally, Romance diachronic lexicology has focused on the formal and content-level semantic history of nominal, verbal, adjectival, and lexical adverbial bases. Lately, specialists in general historical linguistics have explored the interface between what appears to be syntactic change and certain semantic phenomena affecting the lexical items involved in these shifts. They have examined facets of language change usually associated with syntax but with consequences for the semantic status of the items involved, such as recurrent paths of grammaticalization and the less common phenomenon of degrammaticalization, as well as lexicalization, subjectification, the genesis of pragmatic and discourse markers, and the creation of lexical items with evidential functions. Romanists working on issues of diachronic lexicology are beginning to focus their attention on the genesis and subsequent evolution of prepositions, grammatical particles, pragmatic and discourse markers, as well as the acquisition by some independent lexical items of evidential and subjectification functions. Consequently, they are forging a new link between diachronic syntax and lexicology. Such an approach to lexical studies constitutes a fruitful meeting place for Romanists and for specialists in general historical linguists.