Latin fieri and the Romance verb ‘to be’. Thoughts on the problem of “standard language bias” in historical reconstruction

Abstract This study examines the history of reflexes Latin fieri ‘become’ in Romance, focusing particularly on Romanian, where this verb provides subjunctive and some other forms ‘be’. Contrary to general assumptions, I offer comparative-historical evidence from Daco-Romance varieties branches Romance that, earliest Daco-Romance, had a different paradigmatic distribution that modern most (conceivably all) are origin present indicative forms, which probably still conserved into early meaning ‘to become’. argue these findings demonstrate how our understanding mechanisms language change is liable be distorted by “standard bias” whereby, process linguistic reconstruction, structures familiar us standard languages tacitly or explicitly assumed ‘basic’ ‘normal’. In illustration claim will also sketch examples undesirable effects such bias, showing it can lead misunderstandings themselves, as well their cognate varieties.