Definition & Meaning of "grammaticalization"

What is "grammaticalization"?

Grammaticalization is a linguistic process in which words or phrases that originally have specific lexical meanings evolve into grammatical elements over time. This often involves a shift from a concrete meaning to a more abstract grammatical function, such as turning a verb into an auxiliary verb or a noun into a preposition. For example, the English word "will" originally meant "to want" or "to wish," but it has transformed into a marker of future tense. This process typically occurs through a series of gradual changes, influenced by factors such as frequency of use and contextual shifts in meaning. Grammaticalization highlights how languages can develop new grammatical structures from existing vocabulary, reflecting the dynamic nature of language and communication.