The word order change in Dutch directional phrases: from the perspective of language typology

The current study provides an alternative explanation of the word order change observed in Dutch directional phrases from the perspective of typology. This change took place around the end of the 19th century and concerns directional phrases such as 'in de kamer' (‘in(to) the room’) and 'de kamer in' (‘into the room’). On the basis of this typological research on spatial expressions in twelve languages, it can be suggested that directional phrases of the type de kamer in (‘into the room’), which contain a postposition, better fit OV languages. The increasing rigidity of OV word order in Dutch is therefore assumed to trigger the word order change in Dutch directional phrases. This, in turn, is considered a syntactic adaption to the typology on (directional) spatial expressions that better fits the typological pattern attested in this respect.