On the Diachrony of English Linking Verbs

Author / Editor
Bald, Wolf-Dietrich.

Title
On the Diachrony of English Linking Verbs

Published
Mary-Jo Arn and Hanneke Wirtjes, eds. Historical and Editorial Studies (Groningen: Wolters-Nordhoff, 1985), pp. 175-89.

Description
Diachronic study of verbs like "become," "grow," "wax," and "turn" used as both linking and regular verbs. Old, Middle, Early Modern, and Modern English show a decline in dominant meaning, allowing for linking-verb use. Includes data from Chaucer.

Alternative Title
Historical and Editorial Studies in Medieval and Early Modern English.

Chaucer Subjects
Language and Word Studies.