Instances of Grammaticalization in the Development of Slovak Language

The article presents a basic characteristics of grammaticalization as it is analysed in nowadays historical sociolinguistic works. It brings several instances from the grammatical development of Slovak language, that are results of grammaticalization processes and in a different degree correspond to the known interrelated mechanisms (desemantization, extension, decategorialization and erosion). In a detail the author analyses the gramaticalization of the verb byť (to be) in analytical constructions of the past tense, buděti in the future tense constructions, rise of the modal function of historically free lexical expressions and forms of adjectives, the declination suffixes of which have developed from demonstrative pronoun.