Plural formation in Istro-Romanian numeral quantifier phrases : inflexional calquing from Croatian?
Uță Bărbulescu, Oana (University of Bucharest, University of Oxford, & Institute for South-East European Studies)
Maiden, Martin (University of Oxford)

Date:	2023
Abstract:	We explore the effects of prolonged contact with Croatian on the inflexional morphology of number-marking in the Istro-Romanian noun. One result of a reorganization of the nominal system is that certain bisyllabic plural desinences, originally associated with feminine gender, are reassigned to the masculine, and come to exist alongside other modes of masculine plural marking. The resultant variation in masculine plural inflexion becomes subject to new patterns of distribution which are clearly sensitive to Croatian models, including the exaptation of masculine plural morphology to provide distinctive specialized morphological marking of plurals in certain numeral quantifier expressions for 'smaller' numbers, in ways clearly reminiscent of Croatian. What is involved is a complex array of 'pattern' borrowing, although there is also some evidence for 'matter' borrowing of a dialectal Croatian plural ending which Istro-Romanian sometimes uses in numeral quantifier phrases with higher numerals. Overall, we seem to be in the presence of an emergent 'numerative'. While the creation of numeratives is well known from the internal history of various languages, our data may show that they may also emerge through language contact.
Note:	cknowledgments. This study reflects research conducted as part of the project ISTROX - The IstroRomanian Language and the Oxford University Hurren Donation, financed by the Oxford University John Fell Fund at the Oxford Faculty of Linguistics, Philology, and Phonetics between 2018 and 2021.
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Numeratives ; Genus alternans ; Istro-Romanian ; Croatian ; Contact
Published in:	Isogloss, Vol. 9 Núm. 2 (2023) , p. 1-26 (Articles) , ISSN 2385-4138

Adreça original: https://revistes.uab.cat/isogloss/article/view/v9-n2-uta-maiden
DOI: 10.5565/rev/isogloss.210

26 p, 444.9 KB

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