Word order in subordinate clauses: innovative or conservative? A typology of word order change

Abstract

A recurrent claim in the literature on word order change is that subordinate clauses tend to preserve older patterns. However, even though individual cases of unrelated and typologically distinct languages have been discussed, no quantitative data has been used to support this claim. In addition, arguments have been presented that contradict the view that subordinate clauses are conservative. This work is meant to contribute to the discussion by providing a far-reaching typology of word order change. The results suggest that subordinate clauses are indeed conservative, but with nuances.