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Little v and cross-linguistic variation

Evidence from code switching and the Surinamese creoles
  • Tonjes Veenstra and Luis López
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Theoretical Approaches to Linguistic Variation
This chapter is in the book Theoretical Approaches to Linguistic Variation

Abstract

The main claim of this paper is that little v is responsible for a range of grammatical properties of the predicate phrase that it selects for. Bilingual light verb constructions in several code-switching varieties provide strong evidence for this claim. It allows us to broaden the empirical scope and deepen the theoretical insights of the Borer-Chomsky Conjecture concerning parametric variation, and provides a new insight into the clause structure of creole languages.

Abstract

The main claim of this paper is that little v is responsible for a range of grammatical properties of the predicate phrase that it selects for. Bilingual light verb constructions in several code-switching varieties provide strong evidence for this claim. It allows us to broaden the empirical scope and deepen the theoretical insights of the Borer-Chomsky Conjecture concerning parametric variation, and provides a new insight into the clause structure of creole languages.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements vii
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Part one: Synchronic variation in phonology and syntax
  6. Germanic and Romance onset clusters – how to account for microvariation 25
  7. The use of gerunds and infinitives in perceptive constructions 53
  8. Adverb and participle agreement 89
  9. Why a bed can be slept in but not under 119
  10. Deriving idiolectal variation 145
  11. On the variable nature of head final effects in German and English 177
  12. Part two: Diachronic variation in phonology and syntax
  13. Variation and change in Italian phonology 205
  14. Which clues for which V2 237
  15. Parameter typology from a diachronic perspective 259
  16. Part three: On the relationship between language variation and language change in bilingual settings
  17. Attrition at the interfaces in bilectal acquisition (Italian/Gallipolino) 295
  18. Little v and cross-linguistic variation 317
  19. On language acquisition and language change 337
  20. Index 371
https://doi.org/10.1075/la.234.12vee

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements vii
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Part one: Synchronic variation in phonology and syntax
  6. Germanic and Romance onset clusters – how to account for microvariation 25
  7. The use of gerunds and infinitives in perceptive constructions 53
  8. Adverb and participle agreement 89
  9. Why a bed can be slept in but not under 119
  10. Deriving idiolectal variation 145
  11. On the variable nature of head final effects in German and English 177
  12. Part two: Diachronic variation in phonology and syntax
  13. Variation and change in Italian phonology 205
  14. Which clues for which V2 237
  15. Parameter typology from a diachronic perspective 259
  16. Part three: On the relationship between language variation and language change in bilingual settings
  17. Attrition at the interfaces in bilectal acquisition (Italian/Gallipolino) 295
  18. Little v and cross-linguistic variation 317
  19. On language acquisition and language change 337
  20. Index 371
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