Towards a typology of continuative expressions

Abstract

This paper investigates the cross-linguistic diversity of continuative (‘still’) expressions. Based on a genealogically stratified sample of 120 languages, the continuative expressions are systematically analyzed according to the four following parameters: morphosyntactic type, emphatic vs. non-emphatic status, other (non-continuative) uses and semantic effects when combined with negation. The study shows that the most widespread type of continuative expressions is represented by monosemous emphatic continuative adverbials which in combination with negation acquire a ‘not yet’ meaning. In many languages, however, we also find continuative expressions which have followed evolutionary pathways towards morphologization, non-emphatic uses, rich polysemy networks, and less trivial types of interaction with negation. The paper discusses possible areal, genealogical and structural factors which might contribute to the “maturation” of continuative expressions in the world’s languages.

Keywords

• continuative
• typology
• phasal polarity
• polysemy
• maturation