w-Connectors: Theory und Diachrony of Subordinating w-Elements in German
Project description
The project deals with the diachronic investigation of w-elements as subordinating linkers in German. It assumes a development of w-elements that, in the earliest stages of the language, functioned as w-pronouns serving as interrogatives and indefinites. Over time, the function of these w-elements extended to free relative clauses and later to attributive relative clauses. In the case of w-adverbs (e.g., wie "how", wo "where", wenn "when") and wprepositional adverbs (e.g., wobei "whereby", wohingegen "whereas"), this diachronic development also led, starting in the early modern period, to their use in introducing adverbial clauses. The aim of the project is to systematically analyze the historical development of these elements, considering both qualitative and quantitative aspects as well as possible reasons for their spread at the expense of d-forms. A theoretical model will be developed that incorporates recent findings from generative approaches regarding the structure and properties of w-elements, and embeds the historical data into a restrictive theory of polyfunctional elements. The research project consists of two sub-projects: At the University of Göttingen, the focus is on w-elements in adverbial clauses. The University of Bochum is investigating w-elements in relative clauses.The project involves two major sub-areas, which are distributed across the participating institutions as follows:
A third research area will be carried out in close cooperation by both applicants: