Woodcock / a detailed diachronic grammar for Greek

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jamier
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Woodcock / a detailed diachronic grammar for Greek

Post by jamier »

Hi all,

I initially learnt Latin in a very synchronic grammar way, where it doesn't make sense to ask "what is the origin of this [construction/function of the ablative]?", because the answer given is "the language just works that way". Going further into Latin, I learned a lot from Woodcock's "New Latin Syntax" - both stuff I hadn't learned in basic grammar and the origins of the functions of various cases and constructions.

Can anyone suggest a diachronic (historically based) advanced grammar of Greek something like Woodcock's? I'm not a historical linguist by any means, but I enjoy and learn best grammar that's explained in terms of how the language probably developed. For example, something that would go through how the various more specialized functions of the dative evolved or appeared from the basic uses of the dative as reference or advantage/disadvantage, or a little bit about different ways Greek did indirect statement in different dialects/periods.

I'd love if there was something in English, but French or German would also work for me.

Thanks!

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