A Functional Approach to Derivational Morphology: The Case of Verbal Suffixes in Old English

by Ana Ibáñez

This book analyzes the phenomenon of verbal derivation in Old English by means of suffixes. The framework of functional grammars is selected here. In this sense, this book proposes a model of morphological analysis that departs from the basic idea that the structure of the lexicon is parallel to the structure of the clause, as put forward by Everett (2002) and Martín Arista (2008). The data presented here, as well as the exhaustive analysis carried out about Old English verbs, are based on the idea of the dynamism of language and on the facts that 1) language is a concrete object of analysis that reflects use, and 2) language is a functional element. The suffixes analyzed are eight. Until the present moment, there is not an exhaustive study within derivational morphology in Old English about suffixes that accounts for all these suffixes altogether. Besides, until now, the mainstream believe was that derivation in Old English was mainly an opaque phenomenon, and due to this idea, transparent derivative phenomena were not given enough attention. This book gathers all the verbs in Old English that result from the addition of any of these eight verbal suffixes.

484 pages, Paperback

Published August 7, 2012