The syntax of Object shift in Early Modern English (EME): a principle and parameters approach

Abstract

The paper analysed object shift constructions in Early Modern English or the English of the Shakespearean time. This follows conflicting views on the order of the Verb and Object during this time. One group of researchers argued that both Object Verb (OV) and Verb Object (VO) were available as underlying orders in Old English as well as Middle English, while another group held the view that English had undergone some change in underlying word order from OV to VO. I argue, from the perspective of Principles and Parameters theory, developed by Chomsky (1993) that the surface OV order can be derived from the underlying VO through leftward movement rule (s) applying to the object. I have appealed to Principles and Parameters Theory because the theory assumes that the shifting of the object is determined by its strength, and thus moves leftwards. Principles and Parameters theory maintains that grammatical differences between languages can be characterized in terms of a restricted set of parameters.