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Scandinavian object shift is phonology

Erteschik-Shir, Nomi LU and Josefsson, Gunlög LU (2018) p.99-115
Abstract
The problem addressed in this paper is a case of word order microvariation in Mainland Scandinavian: optional vs. obligatory Object Shift (OS). Following standard assumptions (see Selkirk 1996), weak object pronouns are assumed to be affixal clitics at PF which do not themselves have the status of prosodic words. Since adverbs (including negation), areunsuitable as hosts, weak object pronouns
may undergo OS, in other words precede adverbs, ending up encliticized onto the preceding verb or subject. In standard Danish, OS is obligatory; the order adverb+weak pronoun is blocked. However, in Swedish, OS is optional, as isthe case for some Danish dialects, spoken in the southeastern island area. In our paper we explain the distribution of... (More)
The problem addressed in this paper is a case of word order microvariation in Mainland Scandinavian: optional vs. obligatory Object Shift (OS). Following standard assumptions (see Selkirk 1996), weak object pronouns are assumed to be affixal clitics at PF which do not themselves have the status of prosodic words. Since adverbs (including negation), areunsuitable as hosts, weak object pronouns
may undergo OS, in other words precede adverbs, ending up encliticized onto the preceding verb or subject. In standard Danish, OS is obligatory; the order adverb+weak pronoun is blocked. However, in Swedish, OS is optional, as isthe case for some Danish dialects, spoken in the southeastern island area. In our paper we explain the distribution of optional vs. obligatory OS by the phonological properties of the two varieties. What “optional OS” in Swedish and varieties of Danish have in common is the occurrence of a tonal accent, which creates a larger phonological unit than the minimalprosodic word, a Tonal Unit. We propose that the mechanism that allows a weak pronoun toremain in the canonical position in Swedish and the southeastern island dialects in Danish,is the availability of tonal accent. The tonal accent enables the inclusion of the pronoun insuch a unit. Standard Danish, on the other hand, lacks tonal accent altogether which is why OS is obligatory in this dialect. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Object Shift, Phonology, Prosody, Mainland Scandinavian, Tonal Accent
host publication
Order and structure in syntax I: Word order and syntactic structure
editor
Bailey, Laura R. and Sheenan, Michelle
pages
99 - 115
publisher
Language Science Press
ISBN
978-3-96110-027-9
978-3-96110-026-2
DOI
10.5281/zenodo.1117686
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
dc722ea0-3f2f-460a-98da-3a22290f2521
date added to LUP
2018-01-29 13:41:42
date last changed
2021-03-22 20:18:18
@inbook{dc722ea0-3f2f-460a-98da-3a22290f2521,
  abstract     = {{The problem addressed in this paper is a case of word order microvariation in Mainland Scandinavian: optional vs. obligatory Object Shift (OS). Following standard assumptions (see Selkirk 1996), weak object pronouns are assumed to be affixal clitics at PF which do not themselves have the status of prosodic words. Since adverbs (including negation), areunsuitable as hosts, weak object pronouns <br/>may undergo OS, in other words precede adverbs, ending up encliticized onto the preceding verb or subject. In standard Danish, OS is obligatory; the order adverb+weak pronoun is blocked. However, in Swedish, OS is optional, as isthe case for some Danish dialects, spoken in the southeastern island area. In our paper we explain the distribution of optional vs. obligatory OS by the phonological properties of the two varieties. What “optional OS” in Swedish and varieties of Danish have in common is the occurrence of a tonal accent, which creates a larger phonological unit than the minimalprosodic word, a Tonal Unit. We propose that the mechanism that allows a weak pronoun toremain in the canonical position in Swedish and the southeastern island dialects in Danish,is the availability of tonal accent. The tonal accent enables the inclusion of the pronoun insuch a unit. Standard Danish, on the other hand, lacks tonal accent altogether which is why OS is obligatory in this dialect.}},
  author       = {{Erteschik-Shir, Nomi and Josefsson, Gunlög}},
  booktitle    = {{Order and structure in syntax I: Word order and syntactic structure}},
  editor       = {{Bailey, Laura R. and Sheenan, Michelle}},
  isbn         = {{978-3-96110-027-9}},
  keywords     = {{Object Shift, Phonology, Prosody, Mainland Scandinavian, Tonal Accent}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{99--115}},
  publisher    = {{Language Science Press}},
  title        = {{Scandinavian object shift is phonology}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1117686}},
  doi          = {{10.5281/zenodo.1117686}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}