On word order and case in Old Italian past participle constructions
Egerland, Verner (Lund University (Suècia))
Date: |
2022 |
Abstract: |
While in Modern Italian, V1 is mandatory in absolute constructions, no such restriction is operative in Old Italian. On the surface, such a fact could be interpreted as a sign of residual V-to-Comp movement in Modern Italian. However, it is not: In Old Italian, participles targeted a position lower than Comp and, hence, the V1 pattern of Modern Italian is an innovation rather than a residue from the earlier stage. The difference between the two grammars lies in the interaction of independent properties of Old Italian and Modern Italian: First, in Old Italian, two arguments can be case licensed because of the presence of a Tense Phrase in the participle clause. In Modern Italian, where no Tense Phrase is projected, nominative can only be licensed by focus as an instance of default case assignment. Second, a general change relating to information structure has as its consequence that a focused argument is realized post-verbally in Modern Italian, which explains the obligatory V1 pattern. |
Rights: |
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Language: |
Anglès |
Document: |
Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada |
Subject: |
Old italian ;
V1 ;
Participle ;
Gerund ;
Default case |
Published in: |
Isogloss, Vol. 8 Núm. 3 (2022) , p. 1-20 (Articles) , ISSN 2385-4138 |
Adreça original: https://revistes.uab.cat/isogloss/article/view/v8-n3-egerland
DOI: 10.5565/rev/isogloss.195
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Record created 2022-11-28, last modified 2023-08-06