Methodological considerations on grammar variation. The right periphery as an OV/VO deciding parameter more so than the left periphery: Gradience in the verb cluster

If it is correct that the (nominal) left periphery in Germanic stems the tide of OV-to-VO a lot more solidly than the (verbal) right periphery, then we expect also the right periphery to show a structurally representable gradient weakening of strict OV3V2V1. This is what this paper tries to show by applying Optimality-Theoretic principles to the variants in Southern German dialects and in Dutch. It will be seen that the motivation behind left periphery giving way to OV-diagnostics later, and more hesitantly, than the right periphery, has to do with the different discourse areas of the clausal structure of the late OV-languages, German and Dutch. Processing limitations play a determining role in the gradient verb cluster differences between spoken (dialect) and standard varieties. Dutch gives way to variants of the spoken vernacular more easily than Standard German ever has.