ABSTRACT
In the preceding chapters I have already used historical information from time to time, in order to support certain analyses and in order to show how lexical distinctions drawn in one language are related to those drawn in another. In this chapter the historical aspects of this study will be pursued more systematically. We will take a closer look at the etymology of focus particles, at the processes that lead from more concrete meanings to the abstract meanings described above and at some additional developments that affect some focus particles, some conjunctions and some adverbs and result in a use of the relevant expressions often described with such labels as ‘modal particles’ or ‘discourse particles’. Imposing such a historical perspective on our field of study will enable us not only to pursue some questions that are of interest to historical linguists—such as the question ‘Are there some generalisations to be drawn in the development of focus particles from other lexical classes?’—but also to throw some additional light on the meaning and use of focus particles today and on certain current developments. The material basis for this historical chapter is provided by the information available on the use of focus particles in various periods of English, German and other European languages. In addition, we will use synchronic variation within a language (‘polysemy’, range of uses) as well as the synchronic comparison of genetically unrelated languages as a basis for plausible internal reconstructions of certain historical developments.
