Salient stages in contact-induced grammatical change: Evidence from synchronic vs. diachronic contact situations

Contact between languages often leads to linguistic changes. Although the social factors and the typological characteristics of the languages influence the change process, the interaction between these factors is not well-known. This is partially due to the fact that the long-term and short-term effects of language contact are rarely brought together and compared systematically. In this study, we will outline a model of contact-induced change that combines synchronic usage with diachronic development through employing a usage-based approach. In addition, we argue against the separation of grammar from meaning and claim that the meaning of a form is a natural part of the change process it is involved in.