From preposition to preverbal prefix in French and Dutch

In our PhD research (Van Goethem 2006), we have studied the relationship between prepositions and their preverbal counterparts. Following Amiot (2004, 2005), we claim that prepositions can undergo a grammaticalization process and develop into prefixes. This "prefixization" process can be determined on the basis of several parameters. On the morpho-syntactic level, preverbs can behave as adpositions or can develop a new "prefixal" behaviour. In L'avion survole actuellement les îles Baléares 'The plane is currently flying over the Balearic Islands', sur- interacts with two syntactic arguments, a... Mehr ...