Zero, pronouns and clause-chaining: Toward a diachronic understanding

Morphological switch-reference systems have been described as complex structural phenomena with specific marking for chain-medial cataphoric referential continuity (SS) and discontinuity (DS). This paper attempt to place these synchronic structural systems in two explanatory contexts: First, the functional context of discourse structure and the management of nominal reference, with special attention given to the universal functions of zero, independent pronouns, anaphoric pronouns, pronominal agreement, conjunctions and non-finite verbal structures. And second, the diachronic processes via which complex synchronic switch-reference systems arise gradually from their simple building blocks.