how many units of meaning? of production?

[Ann Peters]

Carson,
I think you are oversimplifying and conflating several stages of
development.
Brian suggests that negative contractions are initially monomorphemic and
may remain so. My interpretation is that
(1) indeed they are probably monomorphemic *at first*;
(2) later on, even though they may be analyzed, they may be *produced* by
mature speakers as single, unanalyzed units.
Evidence for (1) would be that *don't* only occurs in a limited range of
constructions, such as the imperative. So while we may see
don't do that; don't touch that; don't drop it.
we don't see full auxiliary use such as
	you like it but I don't (like it); I don't see it.
Once the privileges of occurrence expand, then one can begin to claim that
an adult-like analysis has been performed, and that in some sense "don't"
now contains more than 1 unit of meaning.
ann


****************************
Dr. Ann M. Peters, Professor Emeritus
Graduate Chair                      http://www.ling.hawaii.edu/
Department of Linguistics
University of Hawai`i               email: ann at hawaii.edu
1890 East West Road, Rm 569         phone: 808 956-3241
Honolulu, HI  96822                 fax:   808 956-9166
http://www.ling.hawaii.edu/faculty/ann/