rate of language change

[Miguel Carrasquer Vidal]

"H. Mark Hubey" <HubeyH at Mail.Montclair.edu> wrote:

>Miguel Carrasquer Vidal wrote:
>>
>> Colloquial French has been interpreted as VSO (e.g. in the
>> database of Johanna Nichols' "Linguistic Diversity in Space and
>> Time", based on Stephen J. Matthews 1989 "French in Flux", in:
>> Walsh, Thomas J. "Synchronic and Diachronic Approaches to
>> Linguistic Variation and Change", and Martin Harris 1978 "The
>> Evolution of French Syntax: a Comparative Approach").
>
>This is interesting. Is it possible it is due to the rising of
>educational levels and greater susceptibility of the upper classes
>and movers&shakers (fashion/trendsetters) to the Anglo-American
>culture (dare I say, cultural-imperialism :-))?

No.

To use Larry's example, in Anglo-American you don't say "John he
it has bought the car" or "He it has bought John the car" ("il
l'a achetee, Jean, la bagnole").

=======================
Miguel Carrasquer Vidal
mcv at wxs.nl
Amsterdam