12 The emergence of agentive systems in core argument marking 论文

摘要

Abstract It has been proposed that patterns of core argument categorization, sometimes termed ‘alignment’, are highly stable over time. Certain language families, however, show evidence of relatively recent shifts in these patterns. Agent/patient patterns in particular, which are considered rare, show strong areal concentrations in certain regions such as North America. This chapter examines situations that can trigger such shifts, mechanisms of diffusion, and the traces they can leave behind.