The grammaticalization of will and shall, and be going to from Old English verbs of volition, obligation and movement to Present-day English future auxiliaries will be the focus of this paper. Special attention will be devoted to the role of be going to (< gonna) which -as of today- has taken up an important position in spoken language. After a quick glance at the etymological roots of these words, their clines of grammaticalization will be outlined and contrasted to each other. As the process of grammaticalization of will, shall, and going to to future markers is seen as finished throughout literature, the current development of their 'successors' 'll and gonna continues to modify the system of future tense in the English language.
Table of Contents
1.The English future tense
2.The development of the English future tense
2.1. Etymology
2.2. Grammaticalization
The rise of will and shall to English future markers
The going to-future
3.Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This academic paper examines the diachronic development of English future tense markers, specifically focusing on the grammaticalization processes of "will", "shall", and "be going to" from their lexical origins to their current roles in the English language.
- Historical etymology of English future markers
- Grammaticalization theory in the context of temporal expressions
- The evolution of "will" and "shall" and their prescriptive usage
- The rise and systemic integration of the "be going to" construction
- Diachronic shifts in relation to synchronic language variation
Excerpt from the Book
2.2. Grammaticalization
Present tense (be it indicative or optative) was generally employed as a means to refer to the future in Old English (cf. Brunner 1984: 288). That futurist present was used until the 18th century and did not require any temporal clauses, adverbials or a certain context to be applicated (as it does today, Ibid.). Future forms in Latin sources were thus translated in Old English using the present tense ('opera quae eo facio et ipse faciet' became he wyrcð þã weore þe ic wyrce, cf. Brunner 1984: 288). Few remainders are still to be found in Present-day English, as in Classes begin on September 15th or How long do you stay here? (Brunner 1984: 289). According to Leisi and Mair (1999: 128), this way of expressing the future in Present-day English is only possible in certain cases. Conjunctions, for example, permit this use (when, as soon as, until, and so on) - but the smallest uncertainty, on the other hand, prohibits the application of the present form (*I think it rains tomorrow, Ibid.).
However, the Latin future was sometimes translated into Old English in a different manner: constructions with sceal, willan or mæz ('be able to', 'be capable to') plus infinitive were used to render the future tense used in the Latin originals. Still, the original meaning of these verbs (sceal 'obligation', will 'volition' or 'wish') was not lost, as in Wã ēow þe nũ hlehhað forðæm, zē sculon eft wēpan 'vae vobis qui ridetis nune, quoniam flebitis' or Ic wylle wyrcean mīn setl on nordðæle ond wielle bīon zelíc ðæm hiehstan 'ponam sedem meam ad aquilonem et ero similis altissimo' (Brunner 1984: 289). Brunner qualifies these translations as being interpretating, expressing a possible connotation in the Latin original (Ibid.).
Summary of Chapters
1.The English future tense: Introduces the concept of grammaticalization as a diachronic process and outlines the lack of an inflectional future tense in Germanic languages.
2.The development of the English future tense: Analyzes the historical etymology of English future markers and the complex transition from verbs of volition or movement to temporal markers.
2.1. Etymology: Details the historical origins of the verbs "will" and "shall" and their evolution into auxiliary forms.
2.2. Grammaticalization: Investigates the shift from Old English present tense usage to the emergence of specific auxiliary markers and the rise of the "going to" construction.
3.Conclusion: Summarizes the current decline of "shall", the continued dominance of "will", and the potential of "be going to" as a future marker.
Keywords
Grammaticalization, Future tense, Diachronic linguistics, Language change, Will, Shall, Be going to, Etymology, Old English, Middle English, Auxiliaries, Morphology, Syntax, Linguistic variation, Language evolution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper explores the historical development and grammaticalization of English future tense markers, specifically "will", "shall", and "be going to".
What are the central thematic areas?
The main themes include historical linguistics, the diachronic evolution of verbal markers, morphological changes, and the impact of sociolinguistic variation on prescriptive grammar.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to trace how English verbs of volition and movement evolved into grammaticalized future markers through a diachronic lens.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author utilizes a diachronic, corpus-informed approach, referencing historical grammatical studies and theoretical frameworks of grammaticalization (e.g., Hopper and Traugott).
What does the main body cover?
The main body covers the etymological roots of the markers, the historical usage patterns of "will" and "shall", and the syntactic reanalysis that enabled the rise of the "going to-future".
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Grammaticalization, Future Tense, Language Change, Auxiliaries, and diachronic linguistics.
How did the "future" get expressed in Old English before these markers?
In Old English, the future was typically expressed using the present tense, as the language lacked a dedicated inflectional future tense form.
What is the significance of the "going to-future" in the author's analysis?
The author highlights the "going to-future" as a textbook example of grammaticalization, where a verb of motion undergoes reanalysis to become an indicator of future time.
Does the author believe "shall" will disappear entirely?
The paper notes that "shall" is in a steady decline and is becoming quite rare, though it may persist in specific phrasal verbs or formal contexts.
- Quote paper
- Magister Artium Jens Heuser (Author), 2009, The English future markers, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/177525
