Inflectional change and morphological theory

The chapter begins with overviews of the basic types of inflectional change and of the range of theoretical approaches that are available to model those changes. We then examine the strengths and weaknesses of the different models in relation to phenomena such as suppletion, defectiveness, analogical reformation, and exaptation before going on to consider the nature of periphrases and the relation between affixal and periphrastic expression of grammatical features. In conclusion we argue that not only synchronic data but also diachronic evidence can, and should, play a role in deciding the relative merits of the different theoretical frameworks.