Steps in the middle (voice): ancient Greek grammarians, Bopp and beyond

Abstract

Abstract This paper highlights some crucial turning points in the transmission and development of the label / notion “middle voice”, from the Greek origins through the pioneering phases of historical comparative linguistics (with special reference to Bopp’s works), up to recent typological and theoretical approaches. This brings to light a complex and circuitous net of continuities and discontinuities, and suggests some general considerations: categories through which we observe and describe languages are actually the result of a long historical process, and reflect multiple, historically conditioned views on language(s). Being aware of the value and burden of such a long-lasting prestigious heritage helps developing critical awareness of models and notions commonly adopted in linguistic analysis.