Abstract
AbstractOne of the most remarkable properties of Old English (OE) syntax is variation in word order, and especially the OV/VO alternation, meaning that objects in OE can both precede and follow their selecting verb in the surface. This kind of variation is also attested in Old High German (OHG), suggesting that it represents a common Germanic property. Research interested in the explanation of the OV/VO alternation in Early Germanic has addressed the way in which information structure (IS), and especially the expression of focus, determines the positional realization of objects in the clause. By analyzing the way in which focusing and defocusing interacts with word order in OE and OHG, this article demonstrates the relevance of comparing the two languages in explaining the surface variation in the order of the verb and its object in the surface.
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