Finding a geographical basis for split noun phrases in the Netherlands and Belgium

Abstract

Abstract When considering the acceptance of split NPs, the Germanic language family reveals substantial variation. This is especially the case for Dutch as the observations seem rather contradictory, hence the question whether or not Dutch allows for split NPs. Via a large-scale questionnaire, the present study shows that some Dutch dialects allow split NPs to a larger extent than others, and that a geographical basis amidst the variation can be found in the southern regions of the Netherlands. These findings are crucial as they shed light onto the (syntactic) microvariation within the Netherlands which in turn leads to valuable insights into a future analysis of split NPs.