Problems and perspectives : studies in the modern French language

427 Pages·2013·22.472 MB·English

by  Wendy Ayres-Bennett, Janice Carruthers

Problems and Perspectives
LONGMAN LINGUISTICS LlBRARY
General editors
The Late R.H. ROBINS, University of London
GEOFFREY HORROCKS, University of Cambridge
DAVID DENISON, University of Manchester
For a complete list of books in the series, see pages v and vi
Problems and Perspectives
Studies in the Modern French Language
Wendy Ayres-Bennett and Janice Carruthers
with Rosalind Temple
~l Routledge
~ ~
Taylor & Francis Group
LONDON AND NEW YORK
First published 2001 by Pearson Education Limited
Published 2013 by Routledge
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ISBN 13: 978-0-582-29346-5 (pbk)
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ayres-Bennett, "Vendy.
Problems and perspectives: studies in the modern French language I \Vendy
A}Tes-Bennett and Janice Carruthers with Rosalind Temple.
p. cm. - (Longman linguistics library)
Includes bibiliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-582-29345-6 (csd) - ISBN 0-582-29346-4 (ppr)
1. French language - Phonology. 2. French language - Morphology. 3. French
language - Syntanx. I. Title: Studies in the modern French language. II. Carruthers,
Janice, 1964- III. Temple, R.A.M. (Rosalind A.M.) N. Title. V. Series.
PC2131.A97 2000
440-dc21 00-061374
Set by 35 in 10/12pt Janson Text

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Contents
Preface XVI
Publisher's Acknowledgements XVIll
Part I: Preliminaries 1
Section French: standards and variation 3
1.1 What is 'French'? 3
1.2 Parameters of variation 4
1.2.1 Written and spoken French 4
1.2.2 Register 4
1.2.3 Field, domain or discourse type 5
1.2.4 Geographical variation 6
1.2.5 Age, sex and socio-economic status (SES) 6
Section 2 Introduction to the description of French:
definitions and metalanguage 8
2.1 The Sounds of French 8
2.1.1 Syllable structure 8
2.1.2 Rhythmic groups 9
2.1.3 Consonants 10
2.1.4 Vowels 11
2.1.5 Semivowels 13
2.2 Morphology 13
2.3 Syntax 16
2.3.1 Syntax and the verb system 17
VIII CONTENTS
2.3.2 Word order 19
2.3.3 Subordination and coordination 20
2.3.4 Textual cohesion 22
2.4 Lexis 22
2.4.1 Derivational processes 23
2.4.2 Composition 23
2.4.3 Abbreviation 24
2.4.4 Semantic change 24
2.4.5 Borrowing 25
Section 3 Approaches and schools 27
3.1 A multiplicity of approaches. . . 27
3.2 Structuralism 28
3.2.1 Phonology 28
3.2.2 Morphology 30
3.2.3 Syntax 32
3.3 Generative grammar 33
3.3.1 Introduction 33
3.3.2 Generative syntax and its place in the grammar 34
3.3.3 Generative phonology 39
3.3.4 Autosegmental phonology 41
3.3.5 Morphology in generative grammar 42
3.4 Other approaches to the analysis of French 45
3.4.1 Typological models of change 45
3.4.2 Language in use 46
3.5 Variationist approaches 48
3.6 National French approaches 50
3.6.1 Guillaume and the Guillaumeans 50
3.6.2 L 'Apptwhe pronominale 51
Section 4 Choice of topics and approaches 53
Part II: Issues 57
Chapter 1 Word-final consonants 59
1.1 Introduction 59
1.2 The problem in detail 60
1.3 Orthographically based accounts of liaison 62
CONTENTS IX
1.4 Theoretical accounts of word-final consonants 63
1.4.1 The phonemic perspective 63
1.4.2 Generative phonology 63
1.4.2.1 Abstract generative phonology 63
1.4.2.2 Concrete generative phonology 66
1.4.3 Non-linear phonology 68
1.5 Liaison and syntax 72
1.6 Variationist analyses of liaison 72
Chapter 2 Nasal vowels 77
2.1 Introduction 77
2.2 The history of nasal vowels 78
2.2.1 Textual evidence 78
2.2.2 Phonetic explanations 80
2.3 Structuralist accounts: the phonemic status
of nasal vowels 80
2.4 Generative and post-generative accounts of the nasal vowels 82
2.4.1 Nasal vowels in abstract generative phonology 83
2.4.1.1 Alternating forms 83
2.4.1.2 Non-alternating forms 86
2.4.2 Nasal vowels in concrete generative phonology 87
2.4.2.1 Non-alternating forms 87
2.4.2.2 Alternating forms 88
2.4.3 A non-linear proposal 90
2. 5 Nasal vowels and liaison 92
2.6 Nasal vowels in southern French 94
Chapter 3 Schwa: a maverick vowel 98
3.1 Introduction: 'Qu'est-ce que Ie "e muet"?'
(Martinet (1974a)) 98
3 .2 Terminology 99
3.3 The phonetic identity of schwa 99
3.4 The variable phonological behaviour of schwa 100
3.4.1 The data 100
3.4.2 Descriptive accounts 101
3.5 The phonemic identity of schwa 103
3.6 Schwa - zero alternation: epenthesis versus deletion 105
3.6.1 Schwa - zero alternation as deletion 105
3. 6.2 Schwa - zero alternation as epenthesis 106
3.6.3 The special case of word-final schwa 108
3.7 Non-linear accounts of schwa - zero alternation 109