reanalysis (n.)

In the study of language change, a development which alters the STRUCTURE or FUNCTION of a linguistic FORM. For example, when two words COALESCE as a COMPOUND, their separate identities need to be reanalysed as a whole (hair noun + cut verb ⇒ haircut noun). Any level of language could be affected: for example, a LEXICAL item (such as a main verb) might develop into a GRAMMATICAL item (such as an auxiliary verb), a PHONOLOGICAL change might require a reanalysis of the SYLLABLE divisions in a word, or a SEGMENT of one word might be assigned to another (English a naddre ⇒ an adder).

Reanalysis is used in GENERATIVE (especially TRANSFORMATIONAL) GRAMMAR for a process which enables a sequence of SYNTACTIC CATEGORIES to be taken together as a single unit; sometimes known as restructuring. For example, the SENTENCE [_NP the lady] [_V took] [_NP account] [_PP of [_NP his answer]] might be reanalysed as [_NP the lady] [_V took account of] [_NP his answer]. The factors which govern the application of such RULES are little understood.