Word Order in Old Italian (Oxford Studies in Diachronic and Historical Linguistics)

This book explores sets of movement cases in medieval Italian from 1200 to 1315. It offers an integrated description of all the relevant aspects of word order in Old Italian based on uniform principles (analysing the left periphery of the sentence, of the verbal phrase, and of the determiner phrase, and the interaction of these structures with quantification and negation). From the theoretical point of view, it considers the possibilities of a syntactic model in which the (left) edges of the constituents play an essential role in determining the possible structures. The author suggests that Old Italian has a rule preposing topic and focus elements to dedicated positions not only in the left periphery of the complementizer phase but also in the left periphery of other phases. She also provides an account of the apparent optional negative concord pattern exhibited by Old Italian in terms of dedicated positions. The book concludes with a summary of the various types of preposing presented in the book, arguing that all cases of optionality can be resolved within a single grammar and without need to resort to the double base hypothesis, which requires competence of the speakers on two different grammatical systems. The book makes important contributions to the medieval history of Italian, to Romance historical linguistics, and to the study of diachronic syntactic change more generally. Cover 1 Word Order in Old Italian 4 Copyright 5 To my family 6 Contents 8 Series preface 12 Acknowledgements 14 Source abbreviations 16 1: The Old Italian left periphery 22 1.1 V2 as V to Focus 22 1.2 The analysis of V2: Benincà (2006) and the V2 correlates 23 1.2.1 Subject inversion 24 1.2.2 Constituents in first position 29 1.2.3 Pro-drop 32 1.2.4 Verb-third sequences 37 1.2.5 Verb-first 38 1.3 Topic and Operator particles 41 1.3.1 Null shift topics 41 1.3.2 e as a Topic marker 43 1.3.3 The particle sì 48 1.4 Concluding remarks 54 2: Scrambling in vP 56 2.1 Introduction 56 2.2 OI is a VO language 57 2.3 Scrambling in OI 61 2.3.1. The elements that can be scrambled 61 2.3.2 Multiple scrambling 67 2.4 Optionality of scrambling 69 2.5 What is scrambling? 71 2.6 Past participle agreement 77 2.7 Parallel phases 80 2.8 Phase edges 87 3: Scrambling in the DP phase 90 3.1 Setting out the problem 90 3.2 The structure of the DP phase 92 3.3 Movement to the edge 96 3.3.1 PP scrambling as movement to the edge of the DP 96 3.3.2 Scrambling to the edge of the PP 101 3.3.3 Scrambling of prenominal adjectives modified by molto 103 3.4 The structural Genitive position 106 3.5 Prenominal restrictive adjectives 108 3.6 The loss of scrambling 114 3.7 Concluding remarks 116 4: The vP left periphery in different sentence types 118 4.1 Introduction 118 4.2 Infinitival constructions 119 4.3 Infinitival forms selected by modal and aspectual verbs 124 4.3.1 Scrambling with modal verbs 125 4.3.2 Scrambling with aspectual and perception verbs 128 4.3.3 Causative constructions 130 4.4 Scrambling and V2 in embedded clauses 131 4.4.1 Complement clauses 132 4.4.2 Other clause types 133 4.5 Concluding remarks 134 5: Quantifier movement 136 5.1 Introduction 136 5.2 The quantifier tutto 137 5.2.1 Tutto modified by a relative clause 138 5.2.2 Tutto modifying a DP 141 5.2.3 Bare quantifier tutto 143 5.3 Other bare quantifiers 145 5.3.1 The quantifier molto 145 5.3.2 The quantifier molti 148 5.3.3 The quantifier tutti 150 5.4 Bare quantifiers in dedicated positions 151 5.5 Concluding remarks 160 6: Negative words 162 6.1 Introduction 162 6.2 The negative marker non and optional negative concord 164 6.3 The asymmetric distribution of niente/neiente/neente 169 6.3.1 The position of adverbial niente 173 6.3.2 Argumental niente 174 6.4 Arguments in favor of the analysis 175 6.4.1 Minimal variation 175 6.4.2 PPs including niente 177 6.4.3 Position with respect to the past participle 179 6.5 The asymmetric distribution of niente and neuna cosa 179 6.6 A change in the system 186 6.7 Tutto and niente: a comparison 187 6.8 Concluding remarks 190 7: The grammar of OI in a broader perspective 192 References 198 Index 206 Oxford Studies in Diachronic and Historical Linguistics 208 In preparation 209 This Volume Offers An Integrated Description Of All Aspects Of Word Order In Old Italian, Looking At The Left Periphery Not Only Of The Sentence, But Also Of The Verbal Phrase And Determiner Phrase. It Makes Important Contributions To The Study Of Medieval Italian, Romance Historical Linguistics, And Diachronic Syntactic Change More Generally. The Old Italian Left Periphery. V2 As V To Focus ; The Analysis Of V2 : Benincà (2006) And The V2 Correlates ; Topic And Operator Particles ; Concluding Remarks -- Scrambling In Vp. Introduction ; Oi Is A Vo Language ; Scrambling In Oi ; Optionality Of Scrambling ; What Is Scrambling? ; Past Participle Agreement ; Parallel Phases ; Phase Edges -- Scrambling In The Dp Phase. Setting Out The Problem ; The Structure Of The Dp Phase ; Movement To The Edge ; The Structural Genitive Position ; Prenominal Restrictive Adjectives ; The Loss Of Scrambling ; Concluding Remarks -- The Vp Left Periphery In Different Sentence Types. Introduction ; Infinitival Constructions ; Infinitival Forms Selected By Modal And Aspectual Verbs ; Scrambling And V2 In Embedded Clauses ; Concluding Remarks -- Quantifier Movement. Introduction ; The Quantifier Tutto ; Other Bare Quantifiers ; Bare Quantifiers In Dedicated Positions ; Concluding Remarks -- Negative Words. Introduction ; The Negative Marker Non And Optional Negative Concord ; The Asymmetric Distribution Of Niente/neiente/neente ; Arguments In Favor Of The Analysis ; The Asymmetric Distribution Of Niente And Neuna Cosa ; A Change In The System ; Tutto And Niente : A Comparison ; Concluding Remarks -- The Grammar Of Oi In A Broader Perspective. Cecilia Poletto. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [177]-184) And Index. This book offers an integrated description of all aspects of word order in Old Italian, looking at the left periphery not only of the sentence, but also of the verbal phrase and determiner phrase. It makes important contributions to the study of medieval Italian, Romance historical linguistics, and diachronic syntactic change more generally.