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The Historical Syntax of the Brythonic Languages. The Historical Syntax of the Brythonic Languages :. Some Breton and Cornish Evidence. The Historical Syntax of the Brythonic Languages :. Some Breton and Cornish Evidence. Benjamin Bruch. 26 th Annual Harvard Celtic Colloquium. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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The Historical Syntax of the Brythonic Languages
The Historical Syntax of the Brythonic Languages :
Some Breton and Cornish Evidence
The Historical Syntax of the Brythonic Languages :
Some Breton and Cornish Evidence
Benjamin Bruch26th Annual Harvard Celtic ColloquiumBarker Center· Harvard University· 7 October 2006
A Problem in Brythonic Historical Syntax
Insular Celtic languages tend toward verb-initial word order
Old Welsh, Cornish, and Breton are thought to have had VSO word order
Middle Welsh, Cornish, and Breton texts rarely have VSO word order in affirmative main clauses, although they use VSO elsewhere
Modern Cornish and Breton largely continue the syntax observed in medieval texts
Modern Welsh, however, is almost exclusively VSO
Did Welsh change from VSO to non-VSO, and then back again?
Explaining Syntactic Change in Welsh
Hypothesis I: Welsh syntax never really changed
Non-VSO orders in Middle Welsh represent a ‘literary style’ that does not reflect actual speech (Mac Cana, Watkins, Fife, King)
Non-VSO orders may be derived from foreign (English, French, Latin) influence (Watkins)
Non-VSO orders may have spread from south-eastern dialects of Welsh, which subgroup with Breton and Cornish rather than with northern Welsh dialects (Lewis, Mac Cana)
Brythonic Languages
British
NorthernDialects
SouthernDialects
Pictish (?)
NorthernBritish
Cornish
Breton
South-WesternBritish
NorthernWelsh
South-easternWelsh
Welsh
SouthernBritishNon-VSO
VSO
†
†
Explaining Syntactic Change in Welsh
Hypothesis I: Welsh syntax never really changed
Non-VSO orders in Middle Welsh represent a ‘literary style’ that does not reflect actual speech (Mac Cana, Watkins, Fife, King)
Non-VSO orders may be derived from foreign (English, French, Latin) influence (Watkins)
Non-VSO orders may have spread from south-eastern dialects of Welsh, which subgroup with Breton and Cornish rather than with northern Welsh dialects (Lewis, Mac Cana)
Modern Welsh preserves traces of the non-VSO orders used by speakers of Middle Welsh (Willis, Manning)
Hypothesis II: Middle Welsh was not a VSO language
Verbal particles mi, fe derived from subject pronouns
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S V
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
The dog see I.
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
The dog see I.O
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
The dog see I.O V
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
See I the dog.
The dog see I.SO V
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
See I the dog.V
The dog see I.SO V
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
See I the dog.SV
The dog see I.SO V
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
See I the dog.S OV
The dog see I.SO V
I the dog see.
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
See I the dog.S OV
The dog see I.SO V
SI the dog see.
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
See I the dog.S OV
The dog see I.SO V
S OI the dog see.
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
*See I the dog.S OV
The dog see I.SO V
*
S O VI the dog see.*
Irish :
Feicim Ø an madra.See-1sg the dog.
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
*See I the dog.S OV
The dog see I.SO V
*
S O VI the dog see.*
Irish :
Feicim Ø an madra.
VSee-1sg the dog.
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
*See I the dog.S OV
The dog see I.SO V
*
S O VI the dog see.*
Irish :
Feicim Ø an madra.
SVSee-1sg the dog.
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
*See I the dog.S OV
The dog see I.SO V
*
S O VI the dog see.*
Irish :
Feicim Ø an madra.
S OVSee-1sg the dog.
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
*See I the dog.S OV
The dog see I.SO V
*
S O VI the dog see.*
Irish :
Mé feiceann an madra.I see the dog.
Feicim Ø an madra.
S OVSee-1sg the dog.
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
*See I the dog.S OV
The dog see I.SO V
*
S O VI the dog see.*
Irish :
Mé feiceann an madra.
SI see the dog.
Feicim Ø an madra.
S OVSee-1sg the dog.
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
*See I the dog.S OV
The dog see I.SO V
*
S O VI the dog see.*
Irish :
Mé feiceann an madra.
S VI see the dog.
Feicim Ø an madra.
S OVSee-1sg the dog.
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
*See I the dog.S OV
The dog see I.SO V
*
S O VI the dog see.*
Irish :
Mé feiceann an madra.
S OVI see the dog.
An madra feicim Ø.The dog see-1sg.
Feicim Ø an madra.
S OVSee-1sg the dog.
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
*See I the dog.S OV
The dog see I.SO V
*
S O VI the dog see.*
Irish :
Mé feiceann an madra.
S OVI see the dog.
An madra feicim Ø.
OThe dog see-1sg.
Feicim Ø an madra.
S OVSee-1sg the dog.
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
*See I the dog.S OV
The dog see I.SO V
*
S O VI the dog see.*
Irish :
Mé feiceann an madra.
S OVI see the dog.
An madra feicim Ø.
O VThe dog see-1sg.
Feicim Ø an madra.
S OVSee-1sg the dog.
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
*See I the dog.S OV
The dog see I.SO V
*
S O VI the dog see.*
Irish :
Mé feiceann an madra.
S OVI see the dog.
An madra feicim Ø.
SO VThe dog see-1sg.
Feicim Ø an madra.
S OVSee-1sg the dog.
Mé an madra feiceann.I the dog see.
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
*See I the dog.S OV
The dog see I.SO V
*
S O VI the dog see.*
Irish :
Mé feiceann an madra.
S OVI see the dog.
An madra feicim Ø.
SO VThe dog see-1sg.
Feicim Ø an madra.
S OVSee-1sg the dog.
S
Mé an madra feiceann.I the dog see.
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
*See I the dog.S OV
The dog see I.SO V
*
S O VI the dog see.*
Irish :
Mé feiceann an madra.
S OVI see the dog.
An madra feicim Ø.
SO VThe dog see-1sg.
Feicim Ø an madra.
S OVSee-1sg the dog.
S O
Mé an madra feiceann.I the dog see.
Word Order Typology
English :
I see the dog.S OV
*See I the dog.S OV
The dog see I.SO V
*
S O VI the dog see.*
Irish :
Mé feiceann an madra.
S OV
*I see the dog.
An madra feicim Ø.
SO V
*The dog see-1sg.
Feicim Ø an madra.
S OVSee-1sg the dog.
S O V
Mé an madra feiceann.*I the dog see.
Verb-Second Language
German :
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X V
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X V S
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X V S O
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X V S O
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X V S O
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X V S O
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
Verb-Second Language
German :
Ich den Hund sehe.I the dog see.
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X V S O
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S
Ich den Hund sehe.I the dog see.
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X V S O
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S O
Ich den Hund sehe.I the dog see.
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X V S O
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S O V
Ich den Hund sehe.I the dog see.
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X V S O
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S O V
Ich den Hund sehe.I the dog see.*
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X V S O
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X V S O
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
Du weißt, dass ich den Hund sehe.You know that I the dog see.
C
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X V S O
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
S
Du weißt, dass ich den Hund sehe.You know that I the dog see.
C
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X V S O
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
S O
Du weißt, dass ich den Hund sehe.You know that I the dog see.
C
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X V S O
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
S O VC
Du weißt, dass ich den Hund sehe.You know that I the dog see.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X V S O
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
S O VS C
Du weißt, dass ich den Hund sehe.You know that I the dog see.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X V S O
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
S O VS V C
Du weißt, dass ich den Hund sehe.You know that I the dog see.
Verb-Second Language
German :
S V O
Ich sehe den Hund.I see the dog.
O V S
Den Hund sehe ich.The dog see I.
X V S O
Jetzt sehe ich den Hund.Now see I the dog.
S O VS V C
Du weißt, dass ich den Hund sehe.You know that I the dog see.
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V O
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
Ar c’hi a welan Ø.The dog see-1sg.
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V O
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
O
Ar c’hi a welan Ø.The dog see-1sg.
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V O
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
O p V
Ar c’hi a welan Ø.The dog see-1sg.
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V O
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
O p V S
Ar c’hi a welan Ø.The dog see-1sg.
Bremañ e welan Ø ar c’hi. Now see-1sg the dog.
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V O
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
O p V S
Ar c’hi a welan Ø.The dog see-1sg.
X
Bremañ e welan Ø ar c’hi. Now see-1sg the dog.
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V O
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
O p V S
Ar c’hi a welan Ø.The dog see-1sg.
X p V
Bremañ e welan Ø ar c’hi. Now see-1sg the dog.
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V O
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
O p V S
Ar c’hi a welan Ø.The dog see-1sg.
X p V S
Bremañ e welan Ø ar c’hi. Now see-1sg the dog.
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V O
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
O p V S
Ar c’hi a welan Ø.The dog see-1sg.
X p V S O
Bremañ e welan Ø ar c’hi. Now see-1sg the dog.
Gwelout a ran Ø ar c’hi. See-vn do-1sg the dog.
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V O
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
O p V S
Ar c’hi a welan Ø.The dog see-1sg.
X p V S O
Bremañ e welan Ø ar c’hi. Now see-1sg the dog.
VN
Gwelout a ran Ø ar c’hi. See-vn do-1sg the dog.
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V O
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
O p V S
Ar c’hi a welan Ø.The dog see-1sg.
X p V S O
Bremañ e welan Ø ar c’hi. Now see-1sg the dog.
VN p V
Gwelout a ran Ø ar c’hi. See-vn do-1sg the dog.
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V O
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
O p V S
Ar c’hi a welan Ø.The dog see-1sg.
X p V S O
Bremañ e welan Ø ar c’hi. Now see-1sg the dog.
VN p V S
Gwelout a ran Ø ar c’hi. See-vn do-1sg the dog.
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V O
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
O p V S
Ar c’hi a welan Ø.The dog see-1sg.
X p V S O
Bremañ e welan Ø ar c’hi. Now see-1sg the dog.
VN p V S O
Gwelout a ran Ø ar c’hi. See-vn do-1sg the dog.
Ich werde den Hund sehen. I will-1sg the dog see-inf.
German :
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V O
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
O p V S
Ar c’hi a welan Ø.The dog see-1sg.
X p V S O
Bremañ e welan Ø ar c’hi. Now see-1sg the dog.
VN p V S O
Gwelout a ran Ø ar c’hi. See-vn do-1sg the dog.
S
Ich werde den Hund sehen. I will-1sg the dog see-inf.
German :
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V O
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
O p V S
Ar c’hi a welan Ø.The dog see-1sg.
X p V S O
Bremañ e welan Ø ar c’hi. Now see-1sg the dog.
VN p V S O
Gwelout a ran Ø ar c’hi. See-vn do-1sg the dog.
VS
Ich werde den Hund sehen. I will-1sg the dog see-inf.
German :
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V O
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
O p V S
Ar c’hi a welan Ø.The dog see-1sg.
X p V S O
Bremañ e welan Ø ar c’hi. Now see-1sg the dog.
VN p V S O
Gwelout a ran Ø ar c’hi. See-vn do-1sg the dog.
VS O
Ich werde den Hund sehen. I will-1sg the dog see-inf.
German :
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V O
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
O p V S
Ar c’hi a welan Ø.The dog see-1sg.
X p V S O
Bremañ e welan Ø ar c’hi. Now see-1sg the dog.
VN p V S O
Gwelout a ran Ø ar c’hi. See-vn do-1sg the dog.
VNVS O
Ich werde den Hund sehen. I will-1sg the dog see-inf.
German :
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V O
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
O p V S
Ar c’hi a welan Ø.The dog see-1sg.
X p V S O
Bremañ e welan Ø ar c’hi. Now see-1sg the dog.
VN p V S O
Gwelout a ran Ø ar c’hi. See-vn do-1sg the dog.
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
S p V O
Me a wel ar c’hi.I see-3sg the dog.
O p V S
Ar c’hi a welan Ø.The dog see-1sg.
X p V S O
Bremañ e welan Ø ar c’hi. Now see-1sg the dog.
VN p V S O
Gwelout a ran Ø ar c’hi. See-vn do-1sg the dog.
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
Gouzout a rez Ø e welan Ø ar c’hi.Know-vn do-2sg see-1sg the dog.
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
Gouzout a rez Ø e welan Ø ar c’hi.Know-vn do-2sg see-1sg the dog.
p V
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
Gouzout a rez Ø e welan Ø ar c’hi.Know-vn do-2sg see-1sg the dog.
Sp V
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
O
Gouzout a rez Ø e welan Ø ar c’hi.Know-vn do-2sg see-1sg the dog.
Sp V
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
VN O
Gouzout a rez Ø e welan Ø ar c’hi.Know-vn do-2sg see-1sg the dog.
Sp V
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
VN p V O
Gouzout a rez Ø e welan Ø ar c’hi.Know-vn do-2sg see-1sg the dog.
Sp V
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
VN p V S O
Gouzout a rez Ø e welan Ø ar c’hi.Know-vn do-2sg see-1sg the dog.
Ne welan ket Ø ar c’hi.Neg see-1sg not the dog.
Sp V
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
VN p V S O
Gouzout a rez Ø e welan Ø ar c’hi.Know-vn do-2sg see-1sg the dog.
p V
Ne welan ket Ø ar c’hi.Neg see-1sg not the dog.
Sp V
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
VN p V S O
Gouzout a rez Ø e welan Ø ar c’hi.Know-vn do-2sg see-1sg the dog.
p V S
Ne welan ket Ø ar c’hi.Neg see-1sg not the dog.
Sp V
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
VN p V S O
Gouzout a rez Ø e welan Ø ar c’hi.Know-vn do-2sg see-1sg the dog.
p V S O
Ne welan ket Ø ar c’hi.Neg see-1sg not the dog.
Sp V
Conjugated verb preceded by particle
Third-person singular agreement in SVO order
Subject pronoun may be deleted after a conjugated verb
Verb-second rule only applies in affirmative main clauses
Breton V2 vs. German V2 :
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
VN p V S O
Gouzout a rez Ø e welan Ø ar c’hi.Know-vn do-2sg see-1sg the dog.
p V S O
Ne welan ket Ø ar c’hi.Neg see-1sg not the dog.
Sp V
Verb-second rule only applies in affirmative main clauses
Conjugated verb preceded by particle
Third-person singular agreement in SVO order
Subject pronoun may be deleted after a conjugated verb
Breton V2 vs. German V2 :
Verb-Second Language
Breton :
VN p V S O
Gouzout a rez Ø e welan Ø ar c’hi.Know-vn do-2sg see-1sg the dog.
p V S O
Ne welan ket Ø ar c’hi.Neg see-1sg not the dog.
Sp V
XVSO, VVSO orders predominate; OVS also found
Conjugated verb preceded by particle
Third-person singular agreement in SVO order
Breton V2 vs. French SVO :
VSO order is used in most negative and subordinate clauses
Verb-Second in Welsh
The ‘Abnormal’ Order :
Hwy a welsant y mab bychan…They saw-3pl the little boy…
(Matt. 2: 11)
Verb-Second in Welsh
The ‘Abnormal’ Order :
S
Hwy a welsant y mab bychan…They saw-3pl the little boy…
(Matt. 2: 11)
Verb-Second in Welsh
The ‘Abnormal’ Order :
S p V
Hwy a welsant y mab bychan…They saw-3pl the little boy…
(Matt. 2: 11)
Verb-Second in Welsh
The ‘Abnormal’ Order :
S p V O
Hwy a welsant y mab bychan…They saw-3pl the little boy…
Eglwysi eraill a ysbeiliais Ø.Other churches plundered-1sg.
(Matt. 2: 11)
(2 Cor. 11: 8)
Verb-Second in Welsh
The ‘Abnormal’ Order :
S p V O
Hwy a welsant y mab bychan…They saw-3pl the little boy…
O
Eglwysi eraill a ysbeiliais Ø.Other churches plundered-1sg.
(Matt. 2: 11)
(2 Cor. 11: 8)
Verb-Second in Welsh
The ‘Abnormal’ Order :
S p V O
Hwy a welsant y mab bychan…They saw-3pl the little boy…
O p V
Eglwysi eraill a ysbeiliais Ø.Other churches plundered-1sg.
(Matt. 2: 11)
(2 Cor. 11: 8)
Verb-Second in Welsh
The ‘Abnormal’ Order :
S p V O
Hwy a welsant y mab bychan…They saw-3pl the little boy…
O p V S
Eglwysi eraill a ysbeiliais Ø.Other churches plundered-1sg.
A’r bore yr aeth Jonathan i’r maes.And in the morning went-3sg Jonathan to the field.
(Matt. 2: 11)
(2 Cor. 11: 8)
(1 Sam. 20: 35)
Verb-Second in Welsh
The ‘Abnormal’ Order :
S p V O
Hwy a welsant y mab bychan…They saw-3pl the little boy…
O p V S
Eglwysi eraill a ysbeiliais Ø.Other churches plundered-1sg.
X
A’r bore yr aeth Jonathan i’r maes.And in the morning went-3sg Jonathan to the field.
(Matt. 2: 11)
(2 Cor. 11: 8)
(1 Sam. 20: 35)
Verb-Second in Welsh
The ‘Abnormal’ Order :
S p V O
Hwy a welsant y mab bychan…They saw-3pl the little boy…
O p V S
Eglwysi eraill a ysbeiliais Ø.Other churches plundered-1sg.
X p V
A’r bore yr aeth Jonathan i’r maes.And in the morning went-3sg Jonathan to the field.
(Matt. 2: 11)
(2 Cor. 11: 8)
(1 Sam. 20: 35)
Verb-Second in Welsh
The ‘Abnormal’ Order :
S p V O
Hwy a welsant y mab bychan…They saw-3pl the little boy…
O p V S
Eglwysi eraill a ysbeiliais Ø.Other churches plundered-1sg.
X p V S PP
A’r bore yr aeth Jonathan i’r maes.And in the morning went-3sg Jonathan to the field.
Ofni yn ddirfawr a wnaethant Ø. Become extremely frightened-vn did-3pl.
(Matt. 2: 11)
(2 Cor. 11: 8)
(1 Sam. 20: 35)
(Luke 2: 9)
Verb-Second in Welsh
The ‘Abnormal’ Order :
S p V O
Hwy a welsant y mab bychan…They saw-3pl the little boy…
O p V S
Eglwysi eraill a ysbeiliais Ø.Other churches plundered-1sg.
X p V S PP
A’r bore yr aeth Jonathan i’r maes.And in the morning went-3sg Jonathan to the field.
VN
Ofni yn ddirfawr a wnaethant Ø. Become extremely frightened-vn did-3pl.
(Matt. 2: 11)
(2 Cor. 11: 8)
(1 Sam. 20: 35)
(Luke 2: 9)
Verb-Second in Welsh
The ‘Abnormal’ Order :
S p V O
Hwy a welsant y mab bychan…They saw-3pl the little boy…
O p V S
Eglwysi eraill a ysbeiliais Ø.Other churches plundered-1sg.
X p V S PP
A’r bore yr aeth Jonathan i’r maes.And in the morning went-3sg Jonathan to the field.
VN p V
Ofni yn ddirfawr a wnaethant Ø. Become extremely frightened-vn did-3pl.
(Matt. 2: 11)
(2 Cor. 11: 8)
(1 Sam. 20: 35)
(Luke 2: 9)
Verb-Second in Welsh
The ‘Abnormal’ Order :
S p V O
Hwy a welsant y mab bychan…They saw-3pl the little boy…
O p V S
Eglwysi eraill a ysbeiliais Ø.Other churches plundered-1sg.
X p V S PP
A’r bore yr aeth Jonathan i’r maes.And in the morning went-3sg Jonathan to the field.
VN p V S
Ofni yn ddirfawr a wnaethant Ø. Become extremely frightened-vn did-3pl.
(Matt. 2: 11)
(2 Cor. 11: 8)
(1 Sam. 20: 35)
(Luke 2: 9)
SVO Orders in Welsh and Breton
Welsh ‘Abnormal’ Order
Hwy a welsant…They saw-3pl
Hwy a welodd…They saw-3sg
Welsh ‘Mixed’ Order
SVO Orders in Welsh and Breton
Welsh ‘Abnormal’ Order
Welsh ‘Mixed’ Order
Ef a welodd…He saw-3sg
Ef a welodd…He saw-3sg
SVO Orders in Welsh and Breton
Welsh ‘Abnormal’ Order
Hwy a welsant…They saw-3pl
Y dyn ny doeth…The man neg came-3sg
Hwy a welodd…They saw-3sg
Nyt y dyn a đoeth…Neg-cop the man came-3sg
Welsh ‘Mixed’ Order
Breton SVO OrderInt a wel…
They see-3sgAn den ne zeu ket…
The man neg come-3sg
SVO Orders in Welsh and Breton
Welsh ‘Abnormal’ Order
Hwy a welsant…They saw-3pl
Y dyn ny doeth…The man neg came-3sg
Hwy a welodd…They saw-3sg
Nyt y dyn a đoeth…Neg-cop the man came-3sg
Welsh ‘Mixed’ Order
Breton SVO OrderInt a wel…
They see-3sgAn den ne zeu ket…
The man neg come-3sg
Int eo a wel…They cop see-3sg
N’eo ket an den a zeu…Neg-cop the man come-3sg
Breton Cleft Order
SVO Orders in Welsh and Breton
Welsh ‘Abnormal’ Order
Hwy a welsant…They saw-3pl
Y dyn ny doeth…The man neg came-3sg
Nyt y dyn a đoeth…Neg-cop the man came-3sg
Welsh ‘Mixed’ Order
Breton SVO OrderInt a wel…
They see-3sgAn den ne zeu ket…
The man neg come-3sg
Int eo a wel…They cop see-3sg
N’eo ket an den a zeu…Neg-cop the man come-3sg
Breton Cleft Order
Ys hwy a welodd…Cop they saw-3sg
SVO to VSO in Welsh (after Willis)
Middle Welsh : Mi a welafI see-1sg
(Mi) ni welaf(I) neg see-1sg
Breton :
Mi welaf (fi)Agr see-1sg (I)
Mi welaf Ni welaf (fi)Neg see-1sg (I)I see-1sg
(fi)(I)
(Mi) welaf (fi)Aff see-1sg (I)
(Mi) weli (di)Aff see-2sg (you)
Modern Welsh :
Pronoun
Cornish :
Me a welI see-3sg
My a welI see-3sg
Pronoun
Pronoun
Complementizer
Verbal Particle
Conclusions Middle Welsh, Cornish, and Breton are verb-second languages
V2 is limited to affirmative main clauses
Brythonic V2 uses word orders and agreement rules that differ from those of English, French, or Latin
Subject-verb agreement in Middle Welsh led to loss of V2
Most other types of clauses are VSO
This V2 word order is probably not due to foreign influence
Brythonic V2 is ‘weaker’ than German V2
Breton and Cornish do not feature subject-verb agreement in SVO sentences and so could not lose V2 as easily as Welsh
V2 occurs in fewer clause types
VSO word order in subordinate clauses makes the V2 rule harder to acquire (Willis)
The Historical Syntax of the Brythonic Languages :
Some Breton and Cornish Evidence
Benjamin Bruch26th Annual Harvard Celtic ColloquiumBarker Center · Harvard University · 7 October 2006