Implications of VO Order in the Continuations of Peterborough Chronicle

The aim of this paper is to investigate the distributions of VO order in the Continuations of Peterborough Chronicle (CPC) representing early Middle English and to illuminate the results of investigation under the minimalist framework. Textual examination reveals that VPs in CPC predominantly exhibit VO order but the frequency of VO greatly fluctuates depending on the complement type. Traditional researches of early Middle English depend on the OV hypothesis of Old English and the subsequent change of the head parameter within VP. They suggest that VPs in CPC should be head-initial but fail to answer why and how the head parameter underwent the change. Alternatively, this study presupposes Kayne s universal base hypothesis which no longer needs the directional head parameter itself. With regard to the distributional asymmetry of VO and the existence of remnant OV order, the study proposes the analysis drawn from Chomsky s minimalist ideas on phases and object shift.