FUNCTIONING OF POLYSEMANTIC CONJUNCTION DO (DA) IN THE MIDDLE HIGH GERMAN LANGUAGE

Abstract

Conjunction is a determinant constituent element of the subordinate clause. The changes the conjunctions undergo cause various transformations in the whole sentence. In Middle High German there was a rather extensive system of complex sentence and further development of the system of coordinate and subordinate conjunctions took place. In the Middle High German period conjunctions with narrow, definite, accurately differentiated meaning start to appear to replace polysemantic conjunctions. The analysis of complex sentences brings up the problem of identification and classification of conjunctions as the peculiarities of functioning of the majority of them suggests a transition period of their evolution. The same language units functioned as conjunctions as well as adverbs or other connectors and that blurred the lines between parataxis and hypotaxis in the previous periods of the development of the German language. Despite a rather extensive system of the complex sentence in the Middle High German period, further evolution of subordinate conjunctions was taking place. The analysis undertaken shows that in the Middle High German period the conjunction do/da was one of the most widespread subordinate conjunctions. It introduced subordinate clauses of time, cause and attributive clauses in the period under analysis. The ability to narrow its function contributed to the evolution of conjunctions with determined concrete meaning. In the Middle High German period semantic variation is characteristic of do/da. Gradually it lost its primary semantic functions and in the Modern German Language da preserved only its first
primary function of a conjunction of cause clause.