Chapter 6. Against V2 in Old Spanish
-
Ioanna Sitaridou
Abstract
In this article, using rich data from 13th C. Spanish, it is argued that Old Spanish does not belong to any known V2 type of language, even the most flexible/relaxed attested type – the latter defined as mandatory verb movement from T-to-Fin/Force without the necessary raising of an XP to the preverbal field (as is the case in prototypical V2 languages such as German); neither does it constitute a new one for lack of evidence for formal movement of the verb to a C-related head. Instead, it is claimed that V2 effects in Old Spanish are due either because (i) verb movement is associated with some discourse effect or polarity; or, (ii) it is simply linear V2. Such V2 effects are trivially found in non-V2 languages and may also relate to rhetorical schemata and the discourse tradition.
Abstract
In this article, using rich data from 13th C. Spanish, it is argued that Old Spanish does not belong to any known V2 type of language, even the most flexible/relaxed attested type – the latter defined as mandatory verb movement from T-to-Fin/Force without the necessary raising of an XP to the preverbal field (as is the case in prototypical V2 languages such as German); neither does it constitute a new one for lack of evidence for formal movement of the verb to a C-related head. Instead, it is claimed that V2 effects in Old Spanish are due either because (i) verb movement is associated with some discourse effect or polarity; or, (ii) it is simply linear V2. Such V2 effects are trivially found in non-V2 languages and may also relate to rhetorical schemata and the discourse tradition.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Chapter 1. The determinants of diachronic stability 1
- Chapter 2. Gender stability, gender loss 11
- Chapter 3. Apparent competing agreement patterns in Middle Low German non-restrictive relative clauses with a first or second person head 39
- Chapter 4. Stability and change in Icelandic weather verbs 69
- Chapter 5. Disharmony in harmony with diachronic stability 101
- Chapter 6. Against V2 in Old Spanish 131
- Chapter 7. V1 clauses in Old Catalan 157
- Chapter 8. Competition, stability and change in the emergence of Brazilian Portuguese 191
- Chapter 9. What is a diachronically stable system in a language-contact situation? 215
- Chapter 10. A variational theory of specialization in acquisition and diachrony 245
- Chapter 11. Stable variation in multidimensional competition 263
- Index 291
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Chapter 1. The determinants of diachronic stability 1
- Chapter 2. Gender stability, gender loss 11
- Chapter 3. Apparent competing agreement patterns in Middle Low German non-restrictive relative clauses with a first or second person head 39
- Chapter 4. Stability and change in Icelandic weather verbs 69
- Chapter 5. Disharmony in harmony with diachronic stability 101
- Chapter 6. Against V2 in Old Spanish 131
- Chapter 7. V1 clauses in Old Catalan 157
- Chapter 8. Competition, stability and change in the emergence of Brazilian Portuguese 191
- Chapter 9. What is a diachronically stable system in a language-contact situation? 215
- Chapter 10. A variational theory of specialization in acquisition and diachrony 245
- Chapter 11. Stable variation in multidimensional competition 263
- Index 291
