System collapse, system rebirth : the demonstrative pronouns of English, 900-1350 and the birth of the definite article

The author of this study addresses this problem, focusing on the following issues: - the breakdown of inflectional morphology in the paradigms of the demonstrative pronouns: ambiguity in ending - the breakdown of grammatically significant root vowel distinctions in the paradigms of the demonstrative pronouns: ambiguity in form - the development of an absolute formal distinction between the and that: paradigm fissure - whether any or all of these developments have been caused, or encouraged, by contact between Old English and Old Norse.