New methodologies in the Nordic Syntax Database: Word order variation in Norwegian wh-questions

Maud Westendorp

doi:10.5617/nals.6533

Abstract

Across Norwegian dialects, wh-questions show variation concerning word order possibilities, with many dialects allowing non-V2 word order. The acceptance of this order differs across dialects and depends on the complexity and function of the wh-element. This study examines data from 409 informants across 105 sites in the Nordic Syntax Database (NSD). Throughout the study, new methodologies are used in an attempt to overcome some of the limitations of the NSD-map building tool as well as present new insights from a more detailed assessment of the acceptability judgements. Analysis of the frequency of these acceptability judgements on four test items showed that four grammars could be distinguished: those that allow either only V2 word order; non-V2 word order across all wh-questions; non-V2 in all but long non-subject wh-questions; or non-V2 only with short whs. An apparent-time study of the data supports a diachronic connection between some but not all of the varieties.

Highlights

Many Norwegian dialects lack verb-second (V2) order in wh-interrogatives
(1) Ka du mein me å karrakteriser språk-e? what you mean with to characterise language-DEF ‘What do you mean with characterizing language?’. The acceptance of this non-V2 word order is subject to considerable variation at the more detailed level and has received quite a bit of attention in Norwegian dialectology
The lower right corner of the diagram is filled more than the top left, which fits with the results presented in Figure 3 supporting the idea that young speakers use the dialects with non-V2 in all or only with short whwords more than the older generation

Summary

Question text

NSD reference number short subject wh long subject wh short nonsubject wh long nonsubject wh. Rather than making use of the map building tool in the NSD, all the Norwegian results for the four test items (Table 1) were downloaded and converted to a code based on the combination of acceptability scores the speakers assigned the four non-V2 wh-questions. [2.2] Synchronic variation in the Nordic Syntax Database figure 1: Frequency of use of different combinations of judgements on four non-V2 questions. The acceptance of item #1228 (Hvor mange elever som går på denne skolen?) is precisely what distinguishes speakers of dialect ‘1110’ from speakers of one of the other frequent combinations, namely ‘1010’ that only allow non-V2 order with short wh’s.

Item text

Example from NDC

Findings

[3.3] Discussion of findings