ABSTRACT
All of linguistic theory is concerned with the enterprise of elucidating the nature of the grammar of human languages. Grammar is not a static, closed, or self-contained system, but is highly susceptible to change and highly affected by language use. Grammaticalization is usually defined as the process by which a lexical item or a sequence of items becomes a grammatical morpheme, changing its distribution and function in the process. The examination of the grammaticalization process across many grammatical domains and many different languages makes it clear that the true language universals are universals of change. Emancipation in ritualistic language is extremely common. Grammatical constructions are automated, conventionalized units, which the author claim are also processing units. The meanings and functions of constructions are not fixed and categorical, but allow variation that leads to gradual change over time. An essential factor in the development of grammatical constructions is language use.
