Replacement of Infinitives By Da-Constructions In The History of Bulgarian: Diachronic and Formal Analysis
Replacement of Infinitives By Da-Constructions In The History of Bulgarian: Diachronic and Formal Analysis

Summary/Abstract: The paper studies the diachronic patterns of competition between infinitives and da-constructions (also known as ‘Balkan subjunctives’) in Bulgarian. The use of these grammatical categories is studied across different historical periods (from Old Bulgarian to Modern Bulgarian) and in different syntactic contexts. It is argued that certain aspects of infinitive loss and its replacement by da-constructions were due to a broader typological drift from non-finite to finite structures, while others were a result of local language-contact pressures within the Balkan-sprachbund area. The paper also provides a formal analysis of the diachronic syntax of the mood marker da, which accounts for its spread to control contexts typical of infinitive use and the eventual complete replacement of infinitives by da-complements in Bulgarian.

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