A diachronic study into the distributions of two Italo-Romance synthetic conditional forms
Two distinct conditional paradigms are available to speakers of Italian, derived from the Latin periphrases cantare habui/cantare habebam. The aim of this thesis is to describe and explain their patterns of attestation in the earliest northern Italian and Tuscan texts, which date from between 1200 and 1400. Textual analysis showed that while the cantare habui periphrasis was native to both areas, the use of the cantare habebam periphrasis differed in the northern and central dialects. In the northern dialects, the cantare habebam periphrasis was attested in all genres over the whole time period, whereas in the Tuscan dialects it only appeared in literary genres. Moreover, although the northern texts attested both periphrases consistently over time in every genre, only Tuscan poetry followed this pattern. Other genres attested reflexes of the cantare habebam periphrasis for short periods in the fourteenth century. These results suggest that different influences resulted in different patterns of conditional use in the two areas. This thesis postulates that in the northern Italo-Romance dialects the cantare habebam periphrasis was introduced through the proximity to, and influence of, ProvencÌ§al. Although the
Parkinson, Jennie K.
Romance ; Conditional
A diachronic study into the distributions of two Italo-Romance synthetic conditional forms. Two distinct conditional paradigms are available to speakers of Italian, derived from the Latin periphrases cantare habui/cantare habebam. The aim of this thesis is to describe and explain their patterns of attestation in the earliest northern Italian and Tuscan texts, which date from between 1200 and 1400. Textual analysis showed that while the cantare habui periphrasis was native to both areas, the use of the cantare habebam periphrasis differed in the northern and central dialects. In the northern dialects, the cantare habebam periphrasis was attested in all genres over the whole time period, whereas in the Tuscan dialects it only appeared in literary genres. Moreover, although the northern texts attested both periphrases consistently over time in every genre, only Tuscan poetry followed this pattern. Other genres attested reflexes of the cantare habebam periphrasis for short periods in the fourteenth century. These results suggest that different influences resulted in different patterns of conditional use in the two areas. This thesis postulates that in the northern Italo-Romance dialects the cantare habebam periphrasis was introduced through the proximity to, and influence of, ProvencÌ§al. Although the
diachronic_study distribution italo romance synthetic conditional form two_distinct conditional paradigm available speaker italian derive latin aim_describe explain pattern attestation early northern italian text date textual_analysis show native area use differ northern_central dialect northern dialect attest genre whole time_period whereas dialect appear literary_genre moreover although northern text attest consistently time every genre poetry follow pattern genre attest reflex short_period suggest different influence result different_pattern conditional use two_area postulate northern italo romance dialect introduce proximity influence although