Scandinavian Object Shift and Optimality Theory

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xiv

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2. Object Shift

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

      PDF

   2. Introduction

      • Eva Engels, Sten Vikner

      Pages 2-7

   3. Object Shift

      • Eva Engels, Sten Vikner

      Pages 8-27

   4. Optimality Theory

      • Eva Engels, Sten Vikner

      Pages 28-45

   5. An Optimality Theory Analysis of Object Shift

      • Eva Engels, Sten Vikner

      Pages 46-91

   6. Conclusion

      • Eva Engels, Sten Vikner

      Pages 92-94

3. Object Shift in Remnant VP-Topicalisation Constructions

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 95-95

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   2. Introduction

      • Eva Engels, Sten Vikner

      Pages 96-98

   3. V°-Topicalisation vs Remnant VP-Topicalisation

      • Eva Engels, Sten Vikner

      Pages 99-108

   4. Object Shift and Remnant VP-Topicalisation in Optimality Theory

      • Eva Engels, Sten Vikner

      Pages 109-134

   5. Conclusion

      • Eva Engels, Sten Vikner

      Pages 135-138

4. Back Matter

   Pages 139-154

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This book presents an account of object shift, a word order phenomenon found in most of the Scandinavian languages where an object occurs unexpectedly to the left and not to the right of a sentential adverbial. With new and original observations, it is an important addition to the fields of phonology, optimality theory and theoretical syntax.

• object shift
• word order variation
• the Scandinavian languages
• Holmberg's generalisation
• double object constructions
• particle verbs
• causative verbs
• remnant VP-topicalisation
• Optimality Theory
• order preservation
• comparative syntax
• Adverb
• adverbial
• object
• Syntax
• scandinavian languages

• Aarhus University, Denmark

  Eva Engels, Sten Vikner

Sten Vikner is Associate Professor in English linguistics, University of Aarhus, Denmark. His previous publications include Verb Movement and Expletive Subjects in the Germanic Languages and Studies in Comparative Germanic Syntax (co-edited), and he is the Editor of the Nordic Journal of Linguistics. He researches Germanic comparative syntax, with a particular interest in how and why word order varies between languages.
 
Eva Engels is Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Aesthetics and Communication at Aarhus University, Denmark. Her previous publications include Optimizing Adverb Positions as well as various book chapters and journal articles. Her research focuses on the comparative syntax of the Germanic languages and on how Optimality Theory applies to syntax.

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