Adding the microdimension to the study of language change in contact. Three case studies

Syntactic change in contact is generally explained as a result of cognitive, structural/typological, or sociolinguistic factors. However, the relative weight these factors shaping outputs yet to be assessed. In this paper, we propose microcontact approach study contact, focusing on microsyntactic points variation across multiple language pairs that are structurally very close. We show makes it possible more accurately identify some involved change. By considering three case studies centered syntax subjects, objects, and indexicals, syntactic diverge from what expected under otherwise solid generalizations (avoidance indeterminacy, avoidance silence, Interface Hypothesis, tendency towards simplification, general stability indexical domain) regarding contact. Microcontact offers finer-grained point observation, allowing us go beyond broader typological assumptions focus link between structure cognition. The results our demonstrate an interplay cognitive structural (see also Muysken 2013 for additional processing considerations), micro-variational dimension crucial drawing precise picture heritage syntax.