Medieval Sardinian
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Sam Wolfe
Abstract
We present evidence that Old Sardinian, in contrast to other old Romance systems commonly reported to be verb-second, had a form of verb-initial syntax with optional pragmatically-driven focalisation and topicalisation into the left periphery. We argue that this verb-initial order is derived through verb movement to C. Whilst V-to-C movement is a characteristic shared by Old Sardinian and other old Romance languages, the makeup of the left periphery is partially distinct. In Old Sardinian merger of a left peripheral topic/focus is optional, whilst in other old Romance verb-second systems it is a systematic requirement due to an {+epp} feature on C. We argue that V-to-C movement is a feature inherited by all the old Romance languages from late Latin, but suggest that only Old Sardinian retains the late Latin characteristic that left peripheral topicalisation or focalisation is optional and pragmatically-driven. The {+epp} feature on C is an innovation occurring in the other old Romance verb-second systems and not present in late Latin.
Abstract
We present evidence that Old Sardinian, in contrast to other old Romance systems commonly reported to be verb-second, had a form of verb-initial syntax with optional pragmatically-driven focalisation and topicalisation into the left periphery. We argue that this verb-initial order is derived through verb movement to C. Whilst V-to-C movement is a characteristic shared by Old Sardinian and other old Romance languages, the makeup of the left periphery is partially distinct. In Old Sardinian merger of a left peripheral topic/focus is optional, whilst in other old Romance verb-second systems it is a systematic requirement due to an {+epp} feature on C. We argue that V-to-C movement is a feature inherited by all the old Romance languages from late Latin, but suggest that only Old Sardinian retains the late Latin characteristic that left peripheral topicalisation or focalisation is optional and pragmatically-driven. The {+epp} feature on C is an innovation occurring in the other old Romance verb-second systems and not present in late Latin.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction vii
-
Phonology
- A Phonological motivation behind the diatonic stress shift in Modern English 3
- Vowel reduction in verbs in King Alfred’s Pastoral Care 19
- The development of early Middle English ō 41
- The diachronic development of stød and tonal accent in North Germanic 53
- The evolution of the (alveolo)palatal lateral consonant in Spanish and Portuguese 69
-
Diachronic typology
- Evaluating prehistoric and early historic linguistic contacts 89
- Patterns in the diffusion of nomenclature systems 109
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Morphology
- Morphological evidence for the paradigmatic status of infinitives in French and Occitan 135
- Constructional change at the interface of cognition, culture, and language use 155
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Morphosyntax
- Stages in deflexion and the Norwegian dative 179
- Differential Object Marking in Old Japanese 195
- The grammaticalization of progressive constructions with a focus on the English progressive 213
- Hate and anger, love and desire 233
- The argument indexing of early Austronesian verbs 257
- The syntax of mood constructions in Old Japanese 281
- Medieval Sardinian 303
- Index 325
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction vii
-
Phonology
- A Phonological motivation behind the diatonic stress shift in Modern English 3
- Vowel reduction in verbs in King Alfred’s Pastoral Care 19
- The development of early Middle English ō 41
- The diachronic development of stød and tonal accent in North Germanic 53
- The evolution of the (alveolo)palatal lateral consonant in Spanish and Portuguese 69
-
Diachronic typology
- Evaluating prehistoric and early historic linguistic contacts 89
- Patterns in the diffusion of nomenclature systems 109
-
Morphology
- Morphological evidence for the paradigmatic status of infinitives in French and Occitan 135
- Constructional change at the interface of cognition, culture, and language use 155
-
Morphosyntax
- Stages in deflexion and the Norwegian dative 179
- Differential Object Marking in Old Japanese 195
- The grammaticalization of progressive constructions with a focus on the English progressive 213
- Hate and anger, love and desire 233
- The argument indexing of early Austronesian verbs 257
- The syntax of mood constructions in Old Japanese 281
- Medieval Sardinian 303
- Index 325
