Some specific features in the development of the dual in Slovene as compared to other Slavic languages

Abstract

Tesnierè's work "Les formes du duel en Slovène" and his "Atlas linguistique pour servir à l'étude du duel en slovène" has remained the basic work to consult in dealing with the category of the dual in Slovene and has been used as well by linguists researching this category in other Slavic languages. Tesnieère himself explained the reason for doing his research: the dual greatly interested his teacher A. Meillet and Tesniere wanted to study this category and the way it was disappearing in a modern European language, the choice being very limited (he mentioned certain speakers of Lithuanian, and three Slavic languages: Slovene, Slovincian 1 and Lower Sorbian; Tesnière 1925a: VIII; all references in this paper are to Tesnière 1925a).