UCL Working Papers in Linguistics 12 (2000)
Particles, V2 and the ungrammaticality of verb-initial structures
DIRK BURY
In V2 languages subject-verb inversion is followed by obligatory
topicalisation, in VSO languages it is not. I propose that verb movement in V2
languages is self-attachment, while in VSO languages it is adjunction to a
VP-external head. This analysis makes predictions on typology, language
acquisition and change. Evidence comes mainly from Welsh, Breton, and Early
Swedish.
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