Stefan Müller3d ago

Did somebody tell you that #German is a V2 language. Well, it is. Except sometimes. Well, maybe even then. =:-)

Look at this:

[Das erste Mal] [mit dem Thema] [in Kontakt] kam sie während ihres Studiums zu Ökolandbau und Vermarktung in Eberswalde.

These apparent multiple frontings are described in:
https://hpsg.hu-berlin.de/~stefan/Pub/gs.html

I hope this will appear this year.

Sentence is from here:

https://www.taz.de/!6164348

#language #linguistics #syntax #grammar

German clause Structure

Textbook on Grammar Theory by Stefan Müller.

Show threadhallunke23 🇺🇦

Another interesting exception are the V1 main clauses which are used in certain contexts:

„Steht ein Pils im Wald. Kommt ein Reh, trinkt es aus. Gluck, Gluck.“

@StefanMuelller #DeutscheSprache

Apr 11 at 6:56pmWeb
Show threadMörpel2d ago
@hallunke23 @StefanMuelller what does V1/V2 mean in language context?
Show threadLupino2d ago
@rypel it's the position of the main inflected verb relative to other top-level phrases in a sentence. V1 means "verb is the first phrase in a sentrence", V2 means "verb is the second phrase" and so on. However, I learnt that German is actually V-last, meaning that the verb is last in a sentence and in some contexts some covert operations "move" it to second or first position. Note however that some grammar theories reject the idea of "movement". @hallunke23 @StefanMuelller
Show threadMörpel2d ago
@LupinoArts @hallunke23 @StefanMuelller danke! you saved me the trouble of a googlin' 🙂
Show threadhallunke23 🇺🇦2d ago

One thing that I find amazing is how verbs are used in legalese. In legal texts, it is common to use action-nouns to indicate what is happening. These action nouns are then accompanied by a main verb. Most action nouns can only be used with one main verb, so if you're familiar with the language, you know which verb to expect at the end of the sentence. EXample:

Die bereits geleistete Anzahlung muss in Abzug gebracht werden.

(1/2) @LupinoArts @rypel @StefanMuelller

Show threadhallunke23 🇺🇦2d ago

(The down payment which was already paid must be brought to subtraction.)

(2/2) @LupinoArts @rypel @StefanMuelller

Show threadStefan Müller1d ago

@LupinoArts

It is SOV and V2.

Danish is SVO and V2.

These are two independent properties of languages:

https://langsci-press.org/catalog/book/353

@rypel @hallunke23

Germanic syntax: A constraint-based view | Language Science Press

Show threadLupino1d ago
@StefanMuelller depends on what "V" is... the inflected verb, or the meaningfull verb? I think of complex verbs (like "aufstellen": "ich stelle das Modell auf" vs. "*?ich aufstelle das Modell" but "...dass ich das Modell aufstelle" vs. "?...dass ich aufstelle das Modell") or auxiliary constructions ("ich habe das Modell gesehen" vs "?Ich habe gesehen das Modell").
@rypel @hallunke23
Show threadStefan Müller1d ago

@LupinoArts

V is the finite verb (for V2/V1). For particle verbs it is the verbal part. This was dealt with in my habilitation:

https://hpsg.hu-berlin.de/~stefan/Pub/complex.html

Apart from this, SVO and SOV are language types. This label does not mean that only these orders are possible. German allows for NP extraposition (see also complex predicates book), but nevertheless is not an SVO language. This is explained in detail in the Germanic syntax book.

@rypel @hallunke23

Complex Predicates: Verbal Complexes, Resultative Constructions, and Particle Verbs in German