Functional coexistence of synthetic and analytical future temporal forms in the present-day Germanic languages as a reflection of grammaticalization

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to find out the reflection of joint functions of the synthetic future (when notional verbs are used  in the present tense form for future reference) and analytical future (when the combination of modal or inchoative verbs with verbals is used for future reference). The subject of this research is a group of peculiarities revealed in the functioning of the future tense forms in the present-day Germanic languages. The investigation rests on the selection of some West and North Germanic languages which are similar to each other due to the territorial contact reciprocity. Within all selected languages the verb forms for futurity were identified and grouped into two main types. The first type is synthetic and grasps mostly non-occlusive notional verbs in the present tense forms. This type is accompanied by outer futurizing factors (of morphological and syntactical nature). The second type is analytical and contains two functional components. The first component functions as the initial formant consisting of modal or inchoative verbs. The second component functions as the final formant including verbals. The analytical type is accompanied by inner futurizing factors. Analytical future demonstrates the degree of penetration which takes place between initial and final formants, and this degree indicates the level of grammaticalization. Within the set of grammatical forms for future reference there are seven variants of opposition of binary and ternary types. Hepta-variant opposition gives some flexibility, universality, lability many-sided application to the forms of futurity. The process of grammaticalization is revealed as multі-aspect and integrated phenomenon.