Pragmatic profile of a marginalised verbal periphrasis: Functional insights in the use of the Italian verbal periphrasis andare a + infinito in political discourses
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Paul Mayr
Abstract
Verbal periphrases (VPs) are considered a linguistic typological feature of Romance languages, being particularly common in Ibero-Romance languages. This paper, which is part of a broader research project on the pragmatic potential of Romance VPs, attempts to provide insights into pragmatic-discursive functions of the Italian verbal periphrasis andare a + infinito, which is marginalised in Italian linguistics. We will try to show that the verbal construction andare a + infinito is often part of rhetorical strategies in political speeches and, due to its structure of meaning, can take on many pragmatic-discursive functions that have not been systematically discussed so far. The predominantly qualitative study is based on the EUROPARL7 (Italian) corpus.
Abstract
Verbal periphrases (VPs) are considered a linguistic typological feature of Romance languages, being particularly common in Ibero-Romance languages. This paper, which is part of a broader research project on the pragmatic potential of Romance VPs, attempts to provide insights into pragmatic-discursive functions of the Italian verbal periphrasis andare a + infinito, which is marginalised in Italian linguistics. We will try to show that the verbal construction andare a + infinito is often part of rhetorical strategies in political speeches and, due to its structure of meaning, can take on many pragmatic-discursive functions that have not been systematically discussed so far. The predominantly qualitative study is based on the EUROPARL7 (Italian) corpus.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Romance motion verbs in language change: New approaches and challenges 1
- Motion verbs in Romanian: Language contact and language renewal 23
- Where can we go with [aller/alé ‘go’ + verb] in hexagonal French, French spoken in Gabon and Guianese French Creole? 47
- A diachronic corpus study on the productivity of the French verb-serializing analytic [motion verb + main verb] pattern 85
- The French aller + infinitive construction in instructive discourses: New insights from video cooking shows 107
- “Andiamo a utilizzare il futuro analitico”: On the use of an unused form 135
- Pragmatic profile of a marginalised verbal periphrasis: Functional insights in the use of the Italian verbal periphrasis andare a + infinito in political discourses 157
- Semantic bleaching as an indicator of degrees of periphrasticity: An experimental approach 179
- The category of throw verbs as productive source of the Spanish inchoative construction 213
- (Anti-)Grammaticalization paths of Spanish venir ‘to come’ + past participle 241
- Venir + participle in Spanish: Semantic bleaching or meaning elaboration? 269
- Va y dice & Co.: Motion verbs as quotatives 287
- Going to surprise: The grammaticalization of itive as mirative 311
- Index 347
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Romance motion verbs in language change: New approaches and challenges 1
- Motion verbs in Romanian: Language contact and language renewal 23
- Where can we go with [aller/alé ‘go’ + verb] in hexagonal French, French spoken in Gabon and Guianese French Creole? 47
- A diachronic corpus study on the productivity of the French verb-serializing analytic [motion verb + main verb] pattern 85
- The French aller + infinitive construction in instructive discourses: New insights from video cooking shows 107
- “Andiamo a utilizzare il futuro analitico”: On the use of an unused form 135
- Pragmatic profile of a marginalised verbal periphrasis: Functional insights in the use of the Italian verbal periphrasis andare a + infinito in political discourses 157
- Semantic bleaching as an indicator of degrees of periphrasticity: An experimental approach 179
- The category of throw verbs as productive source of the Spanish inchoative construction 213
- (Anti-)Grammaticalization paths of Spanish venir ‘to come’ + past participle 241
- Venir + participle in Spanish: Semantic bleaching or meaning elaboration? 269
- Va y dice & Co.: Motion verbs as quotatives 287
- Going to surprise: The grammaticalization of itive as mirative 311
- Index 347
