Fossilization (linguistics)

In linguistic morphology, fossilization refers to two close notions. One is preserving of ancient linguistic features which have lost their grammatical functions in language. Another is loss of productivity of a grammatical paradigm (e.g. of an affix), which still remains in use in some words.[1]

Examples of fossilization include fossilized morphemes and fossil words.

References

  1. ↑ The Dictionary of Historical and Comparative Linguistics, by Robert Lawrence Trask, p. 125
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