Microcontact and Syntactic Theory

Abstract

This first chapter presents an overview of the microcontact methodology and what is needed to compare as well as distinguish change in contact from change in diachrony, also known as endogenous change. After an outline of the methodology, the chapter shares findings from the project Microcontact. Language variation and change from the Italian heritage perspective, carried out at Utrecht University between 2017 and 2022. This project focused on various syntactic phenomena, encompassing both purely grammatical aspects and those situated at the intersection of grammar and discourse. In so doing, the chapter highlights the insights into grammatical theory that the microcontact methodology provides. Section 1.4 presents data from several phenomena, in contact and in diachrony: demonstratives, auxiliary selection, differential object marking, subject clitics, and null subjects. Section 1.5 highlights the main theoretical contributions of each of the four case studies. Section 1.6 concludes the chapter.