Metatypy

Metatypy, a term primarily encountered in the field of linguistics, specifically within the study of language contact and language change, refers to a type of syntactic change where a grammatical feature of one language (the donor language or superstrate) is adopted by another language (the recipient language or substrate), but the adopted feature is reinterpreted or adapted to fit the existing grammatical system of the recipient language. It involves a form of structural borrowing but differs from direct borrowing in that the adopted element doesn't simply replicate the donor language's structure; instead, it undergoes modification or reanalysis to integrate more seamlessly with the recipient language's native grammar.

The process of metatypy is driven by factors such as bilingualism, language prestige, and the frequency of interaction between speakers of the involved languages. While influence from the donor language is undeniable, the resulting structure in the recipient language is not a direct copy, but rather a transformed version that adheres to the fundamental principles of the recipient language's grammatical system. This adaptation may involve changes in word order, morphological marking, or syntactic function.

Understanding metatypy is important for tracing the historical development of languages, identifying instances of language contact, and analyzing the mechanisms by which languages evolve through interaction. It highlights the complex interplay between borrowing and adaptation that shapes the syntactic structures of languages over time. It is crucial to distinguish metatypy from other types of linguistic borrowing, such as lexical borrowing (adoption of individual words) and calquing (loan translation), where the donor language's influence is more straightforward. The identifying factor of metatypy is the inherent restructuring and reinterpretation that occurs during the transfer process.