Accounting for morpho-syntactic change in Spanish: the present perfect case

Mariá-José Serrano

Sat. 4--5:40 B

Some linguistic changes proceed from grammaticalization processes by which constructions develop new grammatical functions and become even more grammatical through time (Hopper & Traugott 1993; Heine, Claudi & Hünnemeyer 1991; Traugott & Heine 1991, etc.). From a diachronic point of view this paper addresses the change of 'anterior' present perfect (anterior PP) which is assuming past perfective functions (perfective PP) in Castilian Spanish when referring to events which are not currently relevent at utterance time: (He comido a las dos y media--'I have eaten at half past two'). Such a change has been described in other romance languages (Harris 1982, Fleischman 1983, etc.)

A methodological device based on questions about the 'same-day', 'yesterday' and' time ago' actions was made in order to accomplish the data collection. Native speakers were requested to answer questions like: Cuéntame tu día hoy ('Tell me about your day today'), Cuéntame tu día de ayer ('Tell me about your day yesterday') and Cuéntame un día de hace dos o tres meses ('Tell me about your day two or three months ago'). We also carried out an attitude research to learn the subjective evaluation of these usages.

It might be expected (as usual in other Spanish dialects) that anterior use of PP has grammaticalized the perfective function only in 'today' utterance time events: (Me he leveantado a las siete-- 'I have got up at seven o'clock). However, examination of the data reveals that grammaticalization of perfective PP has taken place too when used to describe 'yesterday' events (Hemos comido en aquella cafetería -- 'We have eaten in that Coffee-Shop') and 'time ago' events (Me he comprado una lámpara preciosa--'I have bought a very beautiful lamp'). Anterior sense of PP has therefore been eroded.

We will compare to other Spanish varieties studies of present perfect wherein this grammaticalization process is not noteworthy when expressing 'yesterday' and 'time ago' events (e.g. dialect of Alicante, Schwenter 1994).

We have moreover found evidence that no considerable negative reaction exists toward perfective PP usage in such contexts. That makes it possible to map out the progress of perfective PP and the future of its alternative form (preterite): (Hoy comí a las dos y media --'Today I ate at half past two'), seemingly decreasing.

Concluding remarks will draw on both grammaticalization paths insights and on the time course evaluation of this morpho-syntactic change in Spanish.

References

Fleischman, S. 1983. From Pragmatics to Grammar: Diachronic Reflections on Complex Pasts and Futures in Romance, Lingua 60. 183-214.

Harris, M. 1982. The 'Past' Simple and 'Present Perfect' in Romance, in Harris, M. & N. Vincent (eds.), Studies in Romance Verbs. London: Croom Helm, 42-70.

Heine, B., Claudi, B. & F. Hünnemeyer. 1991. Grammaticalization. A Conceptual Framework. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Hopper, P. & E. Traugott. 1993. Grammaticalization. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Schwenter, S. 1994. The Grammaticalization of an Anterior in Progress: Evidence From a Peninsular Spanish Dialect, Studies in Language 18.71-111.

Traugott, E. & B. Heine (eds.). 1991. Approaches to Grammaticalization. Amsterdam: Benjamins.