Word order variation in three-verb clusters and the division of labour between generative linguistics and sociolinguistics

2005 ◽  
pp. 233-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sjef Barbiers
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Division Of Labour ◽  
Generative Linguistics ◽  
Word Order Variation ◽  
Order Variation ◽  
Verb Clusters

Merging verb cluster variation

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 144-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sjef Barbiers ◽  
Hans Bennis ◽  
Lotte Dros-Hendriks
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Verbal Material ◽  
Syntactic Knowledge ◽  
Word Order Variation ◽  
Order Variation ◽  
Language Area ◽  
Verb Clusters ◽  
Dutch Language ◽  
Cluster Variation ◽  
Occurrence Patterns

Abstract In this paper we argue that verb clusters in Dutch varieties are merged and linearized in fully ascending (1-2-3) or fully descending (3-2-1) orders. We argue that verb clusters that deviate from these orders involve non-verbal material: adjectival participles, or nominal infinitives. As a result, our approach does not involve any unmotivated movements that are specific for verb clusters. Support for our analysis comes from (i) the interpretation of verb clusters; (ii) the fact that order variation depends on the types of verbs involved, which can be explained by selectional requirements of the verbs; and (iii) the geographic co-occurrence patterns of various orders. First, the 1-3-2 and 3-1-2 orders are argued to be ascending orders with a non-verbal 3. Indeed these orders occur in grammars that have ascending, rather than descending, verb clusters. Secondly, the 1-3-2 order is argued to be an interrupted V1-V2 cluster with a non-verbal 3. Indeed, this order is most common in the region where non-verbal material can interrupt the verb cluster. Our analysis of word order variation in verb clusters in terms of principles of grammar is further supported by an experiment in which we asked a large number of speakers distributed over the Dutch language area to rank all logically possible orders, including orders that are not common in their own variety of Dutch. The results demonstrate that speakers apply their syntactic knowledge to rank verb cluster orders that they do not use themselves. We argue that this knowledge cannot be due to familiarity with the various orders.

Prosodic and syntactic-pragmatic mechanisms of grammatical variation

2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 194-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gert De Sutter ◽  
Dirk Speelman ◽  
Dirk Geeraerts
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Statistical Measures ◽  
Word Order Variation ◽  
Grammatical Variation ◽  
Order Variation ◽  
Verb Clusters ◽  
Auxiliary Verb ◽  
Stratified Analysis ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

This paper reports on a quantitative corpus-based study of the impact of a postverbal constituent (PVC) on the choice of word order in Dutch written clause final verb clusters consisting of a participle and an auxiliary verb. The study verifies the results of previous research by analyzing the effect of the presence vs. the absence of a PVC, while at the same time extending previous research by scrutinizing this effect more in depth. More specifically, it is investigated whether there is an effect of the grammatical relationship between the PVC and its head, the syntactic weight of the PVC and the accent distribution within the PVC. Based on several statistical measures for bivariate and stratified analysis, we are able to show that these factors simultaneously affect the choice of word order in written clause final verb clusters. These results lead us to explore the relationship between the prosodic and syntactic-pragmatic determinants of word order variation.

Introduction to Part III

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Fuß
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Historical Development ◽  
Information Structure ◽  
Word Order Variation ◽  
Order Variation ◽  
Individual Contributions ◽  
Verb Clusters ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Impact

This chapter provides an overview of Part III, which deals with various aspects pertaining to the right sentence periphery in historical stages of German. It outlines a set of issues that figure prominently in relevant current research, including the theoretical analysis of linguistic variation, the impact of information structure on word order (OV versus VO, in particular), and the historical development of verb clusters. In addition, the chapter includes brief summaries of the individual contributions, which focus on word order variation in the lower/right-most part of the middle field (and the post field), and properties of the so-called verbal complex located in the right sentence bracket.

scholarly journals A construction-based analysis of Dutch verb clusters

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liesbeth Augustinus
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Word Order Variation ◽  
Order Variation ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Language Area ◽  
Verb Clusters ◽  
Dutch Language

Dutch is well-known for the formation of verb clusters. A characteristic aspect of such constructions is that the order of the verbs may differ from the order in which they are selected. Across the Dutch language area verb clusters show different types of word order variation. This paper proposes a constructivist account of word order variation in Dutch verb clusters. Linearization is not modelled in terms of the GVOR feature, after Kathol (2000). Instead, it relies on the bidimensional phrase hierarchy initiated by Ginzburg & Sag (2000), which is extended for the analysis of constructions with verb clusters. This proposal accounts for the most common instances of word order variation in Dutch verb clusters, and it can be easily adapted to model a specific variety or dialect.

The relative cycle in Hungarian declaratives

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Bacskai-Atkari
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Relative Position ◽  
Left Periphery ◽  
Word Order Variation ◽  
Order Variation ◽  
Fixed Order ◽  
Embedded Clauses ◽  
Head Positions

This chapter examines word order variation and change in the high CP-domain of Hungarian embedded clauses containing the finite subordinating C head hogy ‘that’. It is argued that the complementizer hogy developed from an operator of the same morphophonological form, meaning ‘how’, and that its grammaticalization path develops in two steps. In addition to the change from an operator, located in a specifier, into a C head (specifier-to-head reanalysis), the fully grammaticalized complementizer hogy also changed its relative position on the CP-periphery, ultimately occupying the higher of two C head positions (upward reanalysis). Other complementizers that could co-occur with hogy in Old Hungarian eventually underwent similar reanalysis processes. Hence the possibility of accommodating two separate C heads in the left periphery was lost and variation in the relative position of complementizers was replaced by a fixed order.

OV versus VO in Old High German

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Svetlana Petrova ◽  
Helmut Weiß
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Landing Site ◽  
Old High German ◽  
Verb Movement ◽  
Functional Projection ◽  
Functional Head ◽  
Word Order Variation ◽  
Order Variation ◽  
The Right

This chapter surveys the word order variation in the right periphery of the clause in OHG. The investigation is based on a corpus including all dependent clauses introduced by the complementizer thaz ‘that’ in the minor OHG documents, a collection of up to forty smaller texts of various genres. The analysis shows that the majority of the data can be explained within a standard OV grammar, assuming additional extraposition of heavy XPs to the right. But apart from these cases, there is evidence supporting the assumption of leftward movement of the verb to an intermediate functional projection vP which is optional with basic OV but obligatory with basic VO. In addition, the chapter presents patterns which evidently involve verb movement to a higher functional head, above vP, and discusses the nature of the landing site of the verb in these cases.

Syntactic complexity, discourse status and animacy as determinants of grammatical variation in Modern English

2009 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 365-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
ELENA SEOANE
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Semantic Role ◽  
Syntactic Complexity ◽  
Word Order Variation ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Grammatical Variation ◽  
Order Variation ◽  
Corpus Data

The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the syntactic, pragmatic and semantic determinants of word-order variation in Modern English, exemplified by the specific case of the use of long passives as order-rearranging devices. Word order in English and in most other SVO languages is affected by a number of factors such as animacy, semantic role, discourse status and syntactic complexity (Sornicola 2006). In this article, which analyses the influence of such factors in the use of long passives, I will try to show that their effects are construction-specific; in particular, that factors which are crucial in determining word order in some constructions – factors such as the animacy of the constituents involved – are entirely overruled by others in the case of Modern English long passives. Corpus data presented here will also serve to address issues pertaining to the nature of the determinants of grammatical variation, such as their independent versus epiphenomenal character, their interactions, and the locus of their effects on word order.

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