Cardinal Numerals: Old English from a Cross-Linguistic Perspective Contributor(s): Mengden, Ferdinand Von (Author) |
|||
ISBN: 3110220342 ISBN-13: 9783110220346 Publisher: de Gruyter Mouton
Binding Type: Hardcover - See All Available Formats & Editions Published: February 2010 Click for more in this series: Topics in English Linguistics |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - Language Arts & Disciplines | Linguistics - Historical & Comparative - Foreign Language Study |
Dewey: 429.5 |
LCCN: 2009051311 |
Age Level: 22 |
Grade Level: 17 |
Series: Topics in English Linguistics |
Physical Information: 0.81" H x 6.14" W x 9.21" L (1.45 lbs) 342 pages |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: The book embeds a description and an analysis of the Old English numeral system into a broader, cross-linguistic discussion. It provides a theoretical framework for the study of numerals and numeral systems of natural languages, bridging the gap between recent findings in the cognitive sciences on numeracy and the known typological generalisations on cardinal numerals. The Old English numeral system shows a number of peculiarities not found in the present-day languages of Europe. Its detailed description is therefore an ideal locus for studying the features of linguistic number expressions in terms of their morpho-syntactic properties and of the structure of numeral systems. Rather than seeing numerals as a hybrid word class, the author argues that this variation in the morpho-syntactic behaviour follows identifiable patterns specific to the word class numeral. He accounts for these patterns by positing different, cross-linguistically uniform stages in the emergence of numeral systems, as well as varying degrees of discreteness of the quantified noun. Moreover, the author demonstrates that the constraints determining this variation in Old English have obvious parallels across languages. |
Customer ReviewsSubmit your own review |
To tell a friend about this book, you must Sign In First! |