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The interplay of focus structure and syntax

Evidence from two sister languages
  • Delia Bentley
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Investigations of the Syntax–Semantics–Pragmatics Interface
Ein Kapitel aus dem Buch Investigations of the Syntax–Semantics–Pragmatics Interface

Abstract

I examine Italian and Sicilian main-clause word order drawing upon Van Valin (1993, 1999, 2005) and Van Valin & LaPolla (1997). Van Valin’s (1999) hypothesis on the typology of the interplay of focus structure and syntax is corroborated by micro-parametric variation. Although Italian is subject to a syntactic constraint and a pragmatic constraint on the canonical position of the subject, it proves to be rigid pragmatically and relatively flexible syntactically. Contrastingly, Sicilian turns out to be flexible in both ways. As a result of its pragmatic flexibility, Sicilian does not exhibit a topicalization strategy which is found in Italian and involves the association of a syntactic position with a specific pragmatic role. The analysis of the space which is outside the core of the clause indicates that the positions which define the potential focus domain of a language need not be adjacent.

Abstract

I examine Italian and Sicilian main-clause word order drawing upon Van Valin (1993, 1999, 2005) and Van Valin & LaPolla (1997). Van Valin’s (1999) hypothesis on the typology of the interplay of focus structure and syntax is corroborated by micro-parametric variation. Although Italian is subject to a syntactic constraint and a pragmatic constraint on the canonical position of the subject, it proves to be rigid pragmatically and relatively flexible syntactically. Contrastingly, Sicilian turns out to be flexible in both ways. As a result of its pragmatic flexibility, Sicilian does not exhibit a topicalization strategy which is found in Italian and involves the association of a syntactic position with a specific pragmatic role. The analysis of the space which is outside the core of the clause indicates that the positions which define the potential focus domain of a language need not be adjacent.

Kapitel in diesem Buch

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of contributors ix
  4. Part I. Introduction by the Editor
  5. Editor's introduction xv
  6. Part II. Verbs, argument structure and transitivity
  7. "Saying" verbs in Spanish 3
  8. Split intransitivity in Japanese revisited 23
  9. Reintroducing inverse constructions in Japanese 37
  10. Transitivity in Kabardian 59
  11. Ditransitive constructions: Towards a new Role and Reference Grammar account? 75
  12. Fluid transitivity and generalized semantic roles 101
  13. Part III. Syntactic and morphological categories
  14. Unification and separation in a functional theory of morphology 119
  15. Modality in RRG 147
  16. RPs and the nature of lexical and syntactic categories in Role and Reference Grammar 161
  17. “Floating plurals”, prodrop and agreement – an optimality-based RRG approach 179
  18. Where is the precore slot? Mapping the layered structure of the clause and German sentence topology 203
  19. Part IV. Syntax, pragmatics and prosody
  20. A prosodic projection for Role and Reference Grammar 227
  21. Is Role and Reference Grammar an adequate grammatical theory for punctuation? 245
  22. The interplay of focus structure and syntax 263
  23. How missing is the missing verb? 285
  24. Predication and reference in specificational sentences – functions of English noun phrases 305
  25. Part V. The analysis of complex sentences
  26. Alternative expressions of 'want' complements 321
  27. An RRG approach to French complementation patterns 337
  28. Complementizer-gap phenomena 359
  29. Wari’ Intentional State Constructions 381
  30. Part VI. Neurolinguistic and computational aspects of RRG
  31. Unmarked transitivity 413
  32. Parsing for Role and Reference Grammar 435
  33. A Role-Lexical Module (RLM) for Biblical Hebrew 455
  34. Index of languages 479
  35. Index of subjects 481
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.105.20ben

Kapitel in diesem Buch

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of contributors ix
  4. Part I. Introduction by the Editor
  5. Editor's introduction xv
  6. Part II. Verbs, argument structure and transitivity
  7. "Saying" verbs in Spanish 3
  8. Split intransitivity in Japanese revisited 23
  9. Reintroducing inverse constructions in Japanese 37
  10. Transitivity in Kabardian 59
  11. Ditransitive constructions: Towards a new Role and Reference Grammar account? 75
  12. Fluid transitivity and generalized semantic roles 101
  13. Part III. Syntactic and morphological categories
  14. Unification and separation in a functional theory of morphology 119
  15. Modality in RRG 147
  16. RPs and the nature of lexical and syntactic categories in Role and Reference Grammar 161
  17. “Floating plurals”, prodrop and agreement – an optimality-based RRG approach 179
  18. Where is the precore slot? Mapping the layered structure of the clause and German sentence topology 203
  19. Part IV. Syntax, pragmatics and prosody
  20. A prosodic projection for Role and Reference Grammar 227
  21. Is Role and Reference Grammar an adequate grammatical theory for punctuation? 245
  22. The interplay of focus structure and syntax 263
  23. How missing is the missing verb? 285
  24. Predication and reference in specificational sentences – functions of English noun phrases 305
  25. Part V. The analysis of complex sentences
  26. Alternative expressions of 'want' complements 321
  27. An RRG approach to French complementation patterns 337
  28. Complementizer-gap phenomena 359
  29. Wari’ Intentional State Constructions 381
  30. Part VI. Neurolinguistic and computational aspects of RRG
  31. Unmarked transitivity 413
  32. Parsing for Role and Reference Grammar 435
  33. A Role-Lexical Module (RLM) for Biblical Hebrew 455
  34. Index of languages 479
  35. Index of subjects 481
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Heruntergeladen am 21.9.2025 von https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1075/slcs.105.20ben/html
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