Tatyana G. Slobodchikoff; The evolution of the Slavic dual: A biolinguistic perspective mina Grković-Major

Abstract

Indo-European comparative grammar offers many fascinating and complex language phenomena for synchronic and diachronic analysis. The dual number is undoubtedly one of the most puzzling and intensively discussed items among these. Almost all ancient IE languages had a dual in addition to singular and plural. But most of the modern languages have lost their dual in the course of their history; no IE language has gained a new dual.