Verbalization/Insubordination: A Diachronic Syntactic Isogloss in Northeast Asia

Abstract

The present paper discusses one of diachronic syntactic isoglosses in Northeast Asia. This study addresses in particular the process of renewal of finite verbal forms through non-finite forms, which is very prominent in different families in Northeast Asia (Tungusic, Mongolic, Turkic, Japanese and Korean). It will be shown that the processes of verbalization (finitization of participles and nominalizations) is a general areal feature in Northeast Asia, but recognition of this diachronic isogloss has been partially hampered by differences in research traditions. Apart from similarities (finitization of participles/nominalizations, displacement and modalization of the erstwhile finite forms), the languages also show certain differences, in part reflecting structural differences of constructions subject to reanalysis. Following up on our earlier work, in this paper we will be more specific on how the developments in the Korean verbal system fit into this general pattern.