Die Entstehung des deutschen werden+Infinitiv-Futurs – ein alternatives Szenario

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, an alternative scenario of the development of German werden future is suggested based on a reanalysis of originally predicative past participles in werden-copula constructions as infinitives. The morpho-phonological and argument-structural preconditions for this reanalysis restrict the types of verbs expected in the relevant bridging contexts to certain strong and unaccusative verbs, which is supported by the results of a comprehensive corpus analysis of werden constructions in Old High German and Old Low German. At the same time, this scenario may explain the diachronic and areal distribution of werden future by virtue of the crucial role it assigns to the ge- prefix.