Scandinavian object shift is phonology

The problem addressed in this paper is a case of word order microvariation in Mainland Scandinavian: optional vs. obligatory Object Shift (OS). Following standard assumptions (see Selkirk 1996), weak object pronouns are assumed to be affixal clitics at PF which do not themselves have the status of prosodic words. Since adverbs (including negation), are unsuitable as hosts, weak object pronouns may undergo OS, in other words precede adverbs, ending up encliticized onto the preceding verb or subject. In standard Danish, OS is obliga¬tory; the order adverb+weak pronoun is blocked. However, in Swedish, OS is optional, as is the case for some Danish dialects, spoken in the southeastern island area. In our paper we explain the distribution of optional vs. obligatory OS by the phonological properties of the two varieties. What "optional OS" in Swedish and varieties of Danish have in common is the occurrence of a tonal accent, which creates a larger phonological unit than the minimal prosodic word, a Tonal Unit. We propose that the mechanism that allows a weak pronoun to remain in the canonical position in Swedish and the southeastern island dialects in Danish, is the availability of tonal accent. The tonal accent enables the inclusion of the pronoun in such a unit. Standard Danish, on the other hand, lacks tonal accent altogether which is why OS is obligatory in this dialect.