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This work examines both historical and comparative evidence in documenting the sweep of diachronic change in the context of serial verb constructions. Using a wide range of data from languages of West Africa, Asia and the Caribbean, it demonstrates how shifts in meaning and usage result in syntactic, morphological and lexical change.The process by which verbs lose lexical semantic content and develop case-marking functions is described; it is argued that the change is directional, from verb to preposition (or postposition) to affix, along a grammaticalization continuum. This same grammaticaliz

Historical linguistics --- Grammar --- Grammar, Comparative and general --- Linguistic change. --- Grammaticalization. --- Syntax. --- Verb phrase. --- Changement (Linguistique) --- Changement linguistique --- Langage--Changement --- Langage--Evolution --- Langues--Changement --- Langues--Evolution --- Linguistic change --- Taal--Evolutie --- Taal--Verandering --- Taalevolutie --- Taalverandering --- Talen--Evolutie --- Talen--Verandering --- Évolution linguistique --- Grammar [Comparative and general ] --- Verb phrase --- Syntax --- Grammaticalization --- Change, Linguistic --- Language change --- Language and languages --- Semantics --- Predicate (Grammar) --- Phrasal verb --- Predicate --- Verbals --- Linguistics --- Philology --- Grammar, Comparative and general Syntax