The V2 order in the history of European Spanish and Portuguese

Abstract

We approach the loss of the V2 effect in the history of Spanish and European Portuguese. In this context, we discuss what we understand as Verb Second, assuming that the V2 order involves verb movement to CP. We then argue why we analyze Old Spanish as well as Old and Classical Portuguese as V2 languages and present possible causes of such language change. Finally, we comment on how language contact in Iberia may have influenced language change in both languages.

Keywords

• Word order
• Verb second
• Language change