SyntOp 2022

Syntactic Optionality in Italian 
4th-5th July, 2022 - Ca' Foscari University of Venice

Department of Linguistics and Comparative Cultural Studies, Ca' Foscari University of Venice
MIUR - Dipartimento di eccellenza
Variopinta

About

The Department of Linguistics and Comparative Cultural Studies at the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice will host a conference on syntactic optionality in Italian, which will be held on July 4-5, 2022 in presence and on Zoom.

Within the broader scope of the VaRiOpInTA (Variation and Optionality in Italo-romance) project, the SyntOp conference is intended to address the issue of syntactic optionality focusing on the omission of two types of constituents, the direct object and the instrument.

The aim of the conference is to deepen the empirical and theoretical knowledge on syntactic optionality, the relationship between syntactic optionality and semantic obligatoriness, and the argument/adjunct status of the omitted constituents. Semantics, syntax, and their interface are the chosen perspectives.

The official languages of the conference will be Italian and English.

Invited speakers
  • Michela Cennamo - University of Naples "Federico II"
  • Elisabetta Jezek - University of Pavia
  • Maria Rita Manzini - University of Florence
Organizing Committee
  • Laura Brugè - Department of Linguistics and Comparative Cultural Studies, Ca' Foscari University of Venice
  • Anna Cardinaletti - Department of Linguistics and Comparative Cultural Studies, Ca' Foscari University of Venice
  • Alice Suozzi - PhD candidate at Department of Linguistics and Comparative Cultural Studies, Ca' Foscari University of Venice
  • Francesca Volpato - Department of Linguistics and Comparative Cultural Studies, Ca' Foscari University of Venice

Call for papers

Syntactic optionality of constituents is known to be a composite phenomenon involving both semantics and syntax. It is particularly challenging in cases of obligatoriness mismatch between semantics and syntax and in relation to the argument/adjunct status of constituents. Syntactic optionality is often considered to be a hallmark of adjuncthood, but other properties may indicate that an optional constituent is indeed an argument. So far, the research carried out on this topic has rarely focused on Italian and its varieties or, more generally, Romance languages, although these languages display optional constituents.

This conference is, thus, aimed at gathering together works on syntactic optionality, with a particular focus on Object Drop and omission of instruments.

We invite contributions that address the following topics in relation to Italian, varieties of Italian, Italo-Romance dialects, also in a comparative perspective with other Romance languages:

  • Object drop
  • Omission of instruments
  • Semantic correlates of syntactic optionality
  • Status of optional constituents (arguments or adjuncts)
  • Comparison between object drop and omission of instruments
  • Comparison between syntactically optional direct objects and syntactically obligatory ones

The proposals may have a semantic and/or syntactic perspective, in any theoretical framework.

Submission guidelines

Abstracts can be written in either Italian or English. They should be completely anonymous and not longer than 500 words, references, examples and images excluded.
Submissions are limited to a maximum of one individual and one joint abstract, or two joint abstracts, per author.

The abstract, together with a short bio-bibliographical note of the author(s), not longer than 100 words, should be sent to:  convegno.opzionalita@unive.it

Each accepted contribution will have a 30 minutes slot, followed by a 10 minutes slot for discussion.

Important dates

  • Deadline for submission: 10 May, 2022
  • Notification of acceptance: 22 May, 2022
  • Deadline for registration: 30 June, 2022
  • Conference dates: 4-5 July, 2022

Programme and venue

VenueCa' Bernardo, Dorsoduro 3199, Venice

Contacts

 convegno.opzionalita@unive.it
Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Department of Linguistics and Comparative Cultural Studies (DSLCC)

Ca' Bembo, Dorsoduro 1075, 30123 Venice - Italy