This selection of papers presented at the 20th Comparative Germanic Syntax Workshop brings together contributions that address issues in syntactic predication and studies in the nominal system, as well as papers on data from the history of English and German. Showing a strong comparative commitment, the contributions include studies on previously neglected data on case and predicative structures in Icelandic and other Germanic languages, on the (non-)syntactic distinction of predicative vs. argument NP/DPs, on quirky V2 in Afrikaans, the pronominal system, resumptive pronouns with relative clauses in Zurich German, as well as historical papers on word-formation processes, on auxiliary selection in relation to counter factuality, and on the development of VO-OV orders in the history of English. This volume presents a wide range of studies that enrich both the theoretical understanding and the empirical foundation of comparative research on the Germanic languages.

Table of contents

From Afrikaans to Zurich German: Comparative Studies in Germanic Syntax Jutta M. Hartmann and László Molnárfi 1–9 Part I — Studies on predication 11 The Nom/Acc alternation in Germanic Halldór Ármann Sigurðsson 13–50 Shape conservation, Holmberg’s generalization and predication Olaf Koeneman 51–87 Quirky verb-second in Afrikaans: Complex predicates and head movement Mark de Vos 89–114 Nominal arguments and nominal predicates Marit Julien 115–140 Part II — Studies on the (pro)nominal system 141 Pronominal noun phrases, number specifications, and null nouns Dorian Roehrs 143–180 Toward a syntactic theory of number neutralisation: The Dutch pronouns je 'you' and ze 'them'. Gertjan Postma 181–200 Long relativization in Zurich German as resumptive prolepsis Martin Salzmann 201–234 Part III — Historical studies 235 Auxiliary selection and counterfactuality in the history of English and Germanic Thomas McFadden and Artemis Alexiadou 237–262 Loss of residual "head final" orders and remnant fronting in Late Middle English: Causes and consequences M. Theresa Biberauer and Ian Roberts 263–297 Syntactic sources of word-formation processes: Evidence from Old English and Old High German Carola Trips 299–328 Index 329–331