Inheritance and Innovation in the Evolution of Rural African - American Englis

"This Element uses data from the Springville Project to explore how the functions of the inherited forms invariant be (from English sources) and zero (from creolization) have transformed during the twentieth century. Originally just alternative present tense copula/auxiliary forms, both features developed into aspectual markers - invariant be to mark durativity/habituality and zero to mark nonstativity. The motivation for these innovations were both socio-cultural and linguistic. The Great Migration and its consequences provided a demographic and socio-cultural context within which linguistic innovations could develop and spread. The mismatch between form and function within the present tense copula/auxiliary system and the grammatical ambiguities that affected both invariant be and zero provided linguistic triggers for this reanalysis. When taken together, the evolution of these forms illustrates how restructured linguistic subsystems (and eventually new varieties) emerge out of the interplay between inheritance and innovation." --

List of contents

1. Introduction; 2. An approach to analyzing the AAE Copula/Aux System; 3. Invariant be; 4. Zero copula/Auxiliary; 5. The interaction of innovation with inheritance in the twentieth century AAE Copula/Auxiliary System; 6. Conclusion.

Summary

This Element explores the transformation of the functions of the inherited forms invariant be and zero during the twentieth century. When taken together, the evolution of these forms illustrates how restructured linguistic subsystems and eventually new varieties emerge out of the interplay between inheritance and innovation.

Product details

• Authors: Guy Bailey, Guy Cukor-Avila Bailey, Bailey Guy, Patricia Cukor-Avila, Cukor-Avila Patricia, Juan Salinas
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 06.10.2022
• EAN: 9781009087711
• ISBN: 978-1-0-0908771-1
• No. of pages: 75
• Series: Elements in World Englishes
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative linguistics; USA, English, LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Linguistics / General, Sociolinguistics, United States of America, USA, Relating to African American / Black American people