Variation to the microscope: the case of negative concord

In this work I will consider microvariation on negative concord with preverbal n-words in the Veneto area and show that at present there are no accounts that can derive the variable strict negative concord pattern found in this area. In addition to the need of a new explanation for variable negative concord, this article aims at showing that microvariation can be as revealing as macrovariation is generally considered to be and can help us to identify new empirical generalizations. Micro and macro variation can be complementary to reach a picture of the facts which is both general and detailed. Here I zoom onto one single phenomenon to show how this distributes across minimally different varieties. In this work, I present a first attempt to use an experimental methodology on dialects. This evidently presents a number of potential challenges, since it is necessary to know in advance how a given language works in its general aspects before detailed experimental questions are formulated and tested. The Veneto dialects constitute a particularly fruitful ground for this type of enterprises, as they are rather well studied in their general aspects.