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Estados Unidos
This investigation of verb-third (V3) constructions in Kiezdeutsch, consisting of a temporal adverb (TA) and a subject left of the finite verb, aims to shed light on the syntax and prosody of the West Germanic left periphery. I show that two pieces of evidence from V3-structures support the hypothesis that this left periphery has two syntactic properties: i) a TP that is the final projection when a temporal adverb is merged late and does not induce verb raising out of TP, creating the V3-structure, and ii) deaccentuation: the lack of pitch accent on any of the pre-finite verb elements. This analysis requires two terminal finite verb positions in the left periphery. If we include Kiezdeutsch in the family of West Germanic languages – for which there is ample independent evidence – we must conclude, as supported also by the presence of other V3-structures elsewhere in this family, as well as by the prosody requirements of these V3-structures, that all members of this family have the same options in the left periphery as Kiezdeutsch. The only difference between Kiezdeutsch and the others – which also allow V3-structures but always with at least one pitch accent – is the V3-structure with temporal adverbs in Kiezdeutsch in which two constituents are allowed left of the finite verb, but no pitch accent. In this way a single prosodic phrase can be created consisting of the TA, pronominal subject and the finite verb
