Subject clitic variation in a northern Italian dialect
This study investigates the phenomenon of subject clitic (henceforth, SCl) variation in Ligurian, a variety spoken in the north-west of Italy. Through the examination of empirical data, this work shows that variation can be incorporated in the theory of a single grammar. In particular, this study determines which linguistic and extra-linguistic factors influence SCl variation and whether these factors vary among individual speakers, and it applies notions of minimalist theory to account for variable and categorical cases. Three variables in the Ligurian SCl paradigm are examined, where overt variants alternate with a zero form. These are: 3rd singular u, a/Ă, 3rd plural i/e/Ă, and 1st person e/a/Ă. In these variables, the zero form is always affected by adjacent negation and object clitics, by processing factors, and occasionally by following phonological context, though never by age of the speaker. In contrast, factors that influence overt SCl alternation vary: subject-verb agreement in 3rd singular contexts, morpho-phonological factors in 3rd plural contexts, and phonological, syntactic, and extra-linguistic factors in 1st person contexts. Following the general view that SCls in northern Italian dialects
Ciarlo, Chiara
Linguistics
Subject clitic variation in a northern Italian dialect. This study investigates the phenomenon of subject clitic (henceforth, SCl) variation in Ligurian, a variety spoken in the north-west of Italy. Through the examination of empirical data, this work shows that variation can be incorporated in the theory of a single grammar. In particular, this study determines which linguistic and extra-linguistic factors influence SCl variation and whether these factors vary among individual speakers, and it applies notions of minimalist theory to account for variable and categorical cases. Three variables in the Ligurian SCl paradigm are examined, where overt variants alternate with a zero form. These are: 3rd singular u, a/Ă, 3rd plural i/e/Ă, and 1st person e/a/Ă. In these variables, the zero form is always affected by adjacent negation and object clitics, by processing factors, and occasionally by following phonological context, though never by age of the speaker. In contrast, factors that influence overt SCl alternation vary: subject-verb agreement in 3rd singular contexts, morpho-phonological factors in 3rd plural contexts, and phonological, syntactic, and extra-linguistic factors in 1st person contexts. Following the general view that SCls in northern Italian dialects
subject clitic variation northern italian dialect study_investigate phenomenon subject clitic henceforth variation variety speak north_west italy examination empirical_data work show variation incorporate theory single grammar particular study determines linguistic extra_linguistic factor_influence variation whether factor vary among individual speaker applies notion minimalist_theory account variable categorical case variable paradigm examine overt variant alternate zero form singular plural person variable zero form always affect adjacent negation object clitics process factor occasionally follow phonological context though never age speaker contrast factor_influence overt alternation vary subject_verb agreement singular context morpho phonological factor plural context phonological syntactic extra_linguistic factor person context following_general view northern italian dialect