Demonstrative reinforcement cycles and grammaticalization

Abstract

Demonstratives, broadly defined as deictic expressions, do not develop through grammaticalization (Diessel 1999: 150). The renewal of demonstratives, and the mechanisms and motivations underlying such processes, have not been studied in great detail. Greenberg’s (1978) observation that demonstratives are often replaced by reinforced forms might shed light on this diachronic process, and this study aims to explore this phenomenon further, as well as its connection with grammaticalization. I hypothesize that the frequent reinforcement of demonstratives can lead to the development of new demonstratives, which may catalyze the grammaticalization of old ones. The hypothesis presented here differs from many other accounts of renewal in that it sees reinforcement as a possible driving force behind grammaticalization, and not vice versa, as suggested in Diessel (2006: 474) and van Gelderen (2011: 210), among others.