Limits of syntactic variation and Universal Grammar: V2, OV/VO and subject pronouns in Mòcheno

In this paper I provide arguments in favour of the hypothesis that syntactic variation i) has clear limits, even in a language with a mixed syntax such as Mòcheno, ii) in domains characterised by syntactic variation, it is the output of rules affecting syntax and information structure and not of optionality and iii) these rules affect the same areas of grammar of and are very similar to those found in other languages or language stages. Therefore, variation can be seen as part of Universal Grammar and directly derives from it: the domains (V2, OV/VO) and the ways (interplay between syntax and IS) in which languages can differ from each other are restricted. From the acquisition perspective, this analogy among languages indicates that children do not have to pay attention to everything when they are acquiring a language, but are selective as to the domains subject to variation.