Chapter 10. A note on left-peripheral maps and interface properties
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Luigi Rizzi
Abstract
The cartographic analysis of the left periphery leads to the identification of invariant and variable properties in the syntactic expression of scope-discourse configurations, such as topic-comment and focus-presupposition. One notable property is that languages typically permit a unique focus in the left periphery of a clause, whereas left-peripheral topics may proliferate in many languages. A comparative analysis of Italian and Gungbe reveals that Italian disallows distinct LP foci also in distinct clauses of complex sentences, an option which is permitted in Gungbe. The proposal developed in this paper capitalizes on computational mechanisms applying at the interfaces with sound and meaning to capture the invariant core and the variability in these left-peripheral properties across languages.
Abstract
The cartographic analysis of the left periphery leads to the identification of invariant and variable properties in the syntactic expression of scope-discourse configurations, such as topic-comment and focus-presupposition. One notable property is that languages typically permit a unique focus in the left periphery of a clause, whereas left-peripheral topics may proliferate in many languages. A comparative analysis of Italian and Gungbe reveals that Italian disallows distinct LP foci also in distinct clauses of complex sentences, an option which is permitted in Gungbe. The proposal developed in this paper capitalizes on computational mechanisms applying at the interfaces with sound and meaning to capture the invariant core and the variability in these left-peripheral properties across languages.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Chapter 1. Introduction: Structuring thought, externalizing structure 1
-
Part I. Micro‑ and macro-variation in syntax
- Chapter 2. Gender, number and inflectional class in some Northern Italian dialects 31
- Chapter 3. Objects and subjects in the left periphery 57
- Chapter 4. Notes on infinitival relatives in Italian 73
- Chapter 5. Negation and negative copulas in Bantu 85
- Chapter 6. On gender and number 97
- Chapter 7. Micro‑ and macro-variation 111
- Chapter 8. Concealed pseudo-clefts? Evidence from a Lombard dialect 121
- Chapter 9. Negation patterns across dialects 133
- Chapter 10. A note on left-peripheral maps and interface properties 149
- Chapter 11. Italian faire -infinitives 161
- Chapter 12. Optional vs obligatory movement in Albanian (pseudo)-raising constructions 177
-
Part II. Clitics and pronouns from a theoretical perspective
- Chapter 13. Clitic stress allomorphy in Sardinian 195
- Chapter 14. Clitics and vowel epenthesis 215
- Chapter 15. Overabundance in Hungarian accusative pronouns 223
- Chapter 16. Unstable personal pronouns in Northern Logudorese 241
- Chapter 17. Object clitics for subject clitics in Francoprovençal and Piedmontese 257
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Part III. Sound pattern and syntactic structure
- Chapter 18. Are Sardinian vocatives perfectly regular? 271
- Chapter 19. Phonological correlates of syntactic structure 283
- Chapter 20. Metaphony as magnetism 297
- Chapter 21. Some reflections on the syllabification of clusters 307
-
Part IV. Language in context
- Chapter 22. Diachronic and synchronic lexical interactions in the Italo-Balkan linguistic space 323
- Chapter 23. Lexical-semantic analysis of the political language 337
- Chapter 24. Dialects and neuroscience 351
- Chapter 25. Remarks on the vulnerability of grammar 365
- Chapter 26. Some Celto-Albanian isoglosses and their implications 379
- Subject index 391
- Language index 393
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Chapter 1. Introduction: Structuring thought, externalizing structure 1
-
Part I. Micro‑ and macro-variation in syntax
- Chapter 2. Gender, number and inflectional class in some Northern Italian dialects 31
- Chapter 3. Objects and subjects in the left periphery 57
- Chapter 4. Notes on infinitival relatives in Italian 73
- Chapter 5. Negation and negative copulas in Bantu 85
- Chapter 6. On gender and number 97
- Chapter 7. Micro‑ and macro-variation 111
- Chapter 8. Concealed pseudo-clefts? Evidence from a Lombard dialect 121
- Chapter 9. Negation patterns across dialects 133
- Chapter 10. A note on left-peripheral maps and interface properties 149
- Chapter 11. Italian faire -infinitives 161
- Chapter 12. Optional vs obligatory movement in Albanian (pseudo)-raising constructions 177
-
Part II. Clitics and pronouns from a theoretical perspective
- Chapter 13. Clitic stress allomorphy in Sardinian 195
- Chapter 14. Clitics and vowel epenthesis 215
- Chapter 15. Overabundance in Hungarian accusative pronouns 223
- Chapter 16. Unstable personal pronouns in Northern Logudorese 241
- Chapter 17. Object clitics for subject clitics in Francoprovençal and Piedmontese 257
-
Part III. Sound pattern and syntactic structure
- Chapter 18. Are Sardinian vocatives perfectly regular? 271
- Chapter 19. Phonological correlates of syntactic structure 283
- Chapter 20. Metaphony as magnetism 297
- Chapter 21. Some reflections on the syllabification of clusters 307
-
Part IV. Language in context
- Chapter 22. Diachronic and synchronic lexical interactions in the Italo-Balkan linguistic space 323
- Chapter 23. Lexical-semantic analysis of the political language 337
- Chapter 24. Dialects and neuroscience 351
- Chapter 25. Remarks on the vulnerability of grammar 365
- Chapter 26. Some Celto-Albanian isoglosses and their implications 379
- Subject index 391
- Language index 393