Includes bibliographical references (pages 209-212) and index.
Contents:
References. List of figures -- List of abbreviations -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- Conclusions -- Material, method and tools -- Theoretical approach -- Structure -- Middle English prepositions and adverbs -- Introduction -- Middle English period -- Middle English chronology -- Middle English dialects -- Middle English prepositions -- Development of middle English prepositions from old English case markers -- Features of middle English prepositions -- Previous studies on middle English prepositions and adverbs -- Prepositions and adverbs selected for the study -- The prefix bi-/be- -- Methodology and data collection -- Introduction -- (Computerised) corpus linguistics methodology -- Method introduction and first corpora -- Historical corpora -- Middle English corpora -- Middle English part of the Helsinki Corpus -- Penn-Helsinki Parsed corpus of middle English -- Corpus of middle English prose and Verse -- Middle English Grammar corpus -- Innsbruck corpus of middle English Prose -- Historical dictionaries as databases -- Middle English dictionary online -- Oxford English dictionary online -- Innsbruck corpus texts selected for the present study -- Texts selection method -- Temporal division -- Dialectal distribution and the number of words -- Semantics of prepositions and adverbs -- ME bifore(n) (preposition, adverb, conjunction) -- Etymology of bifore(n) -- Semantics in middle English prose -- Preposition bifore(n) -- Adverb bifore(n) -- Preposition and adverb bifore(n) : a summary and comparison -- Conjunction bifore(n) -- Preposition, adverb and conjunction bifore(n) : a summary and comparison -- Corpus analysis -- Temporal distribution of bifore(n) -- Textual and dialectal distribution and token frequency of bifore(n) -- Early middle English texts -- Late middle English texts -- Early and late middle English texts : a comparison -- ME biyond(e) (preposition, adverb) -- Etymology of biyond(e) -- Semantics in middle English prose -- Preposition biyond(e) -- Adverb biyond(e) -- Preposition and adverb biyond(e) : a summary and comparison -- Corpus analysis -- Temporal distribution of biyond(e) -- Textual and dialectal distribution and token frequency of biyond(e) -- Early middle English texts -- Late middle English texts -- Early and late middle English texts : a comparison -- ME bihinde(n) (preposition, adverb) -- Etymology of bihinde(n) -- Semantics in middle English prose -- Preposition bihinde(n) -- Adverb bihinde(n) -- Preposition and adverb bihinde(n) : a summary and comparison -- Corpus analysis -- Temporal distribution of bihinde(n) -- Textual and dialectal distribution and token frequency of bihinde(n) -- Early middle English texts -- Late middle English texts -- Early and Late middle English texts : a comparison -- ME binethe(n) (preposition, adverb) -- Etymology of binethe(n) -- Semantics in middle English prose -- Preposition binethe(n) -- Adverb binethe(n) -- Preposition and adverb binethe(n) : a summary and comparison -- Corpus analysis -- Temporal distribution of binethe(n) -- Textual and dialectal distribution and token frequency of binethe(n) -- Early middle English texts -- Late middle English texts -- Early and late middle English texts : a comparison -- ME bitwene (preposition, adverb) -- Etymology of bitwene -- Semantics in the middle English prose -- Preposition bitwene -- Adverb bitwene -- Preposition and adverb bitwene : a summary and comparison -- Corpus analysis -- The temporal distribution of bitwene -- Textual and dialectal distribution and token frequency of bitwene -- Early middle English texts -- Late middle English texts -- Early and late middle English texts : a comparison -- ME bitwix(en) (preposition, adverb) -- Etymology of bitwix(en) -- Semantics in middle English prose -- Preposition bitwix(en) -- Adverb bitwix(en) -- Preposition and adverb bitwix(en) : a summary and comparison -- Prepositions bitw͡ne and bitwix(en) : a comparison -- Adverbs bitwene and bitwix(en) : a comparison -- Corpus analysis -- Temporal distribution of bitwix(en) -- Textual and dialectal distribution and token frequency of bitwix(en) -- Early middle English texts -- Late middle English texts -- Early and late middle English texts : a comparison -- Bitwene and bitwix(en) : a comparison -- Temporal distribution of bitwene and bitwix(en) -- Textual and dialectal distribution and token frequency of bitwene and bitwix(en) -- Early middle English texts -- Late middle English texts -- Conclusions -- References.
Summary:
This book offers the first comprehensive study of Middle English prepositions and adverbs combining the prefix 'be-' with a preposition, an adverb or a numeral recorded in prose texts. Six best established lexemes, i.e., 'before, beyond, behind, beneath, between' and'betwixt'are analysed. The investigated aspects include the semantics of the prepositions and adverbs, their dialectal and textual distribution as well as their frequency of use viewed both from a synchronic and diachronic perspective. The study draws on the linguistic data retrieved from a collection of specially selected complete prose texts from the 'Innsbruck Corpus of Middle English Prose'. The description of the obtained results is enhanced with numerous tables and figures.
Series:
Studies in English medieval language and literature, 1436-7521 ; Vol. 50
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.