VO or OV

Abstract This article sketches a new analysis of the diachronic development found in many West Germanic languages from hybrid VO-OV order to rigid OV or VO order. The discussion departs discussions Struik & Van Kemenade ( 2020 / 2022 ) and Schoenmakers (to appear) on English/Dutch, which focus role object shift information structure. My interpretation their data will be based an earlier Broekhuis 2008 : § 2.4; 2011 ). main conclusions are following. First, change historical systems present-day is due changing “setting” [±V‑to‑ v ] more categorical ones [−V-to- [+V-to- ]. Second, modest; it not involved OV-languages at all involves only (partial) loss VO-languages (contra et al.). Third, encoding information-structural - given distinction remains constant that (un)scrambled nominal objects does over time Schoenmakers).