Agenda

04 Lug 2022 09:00

SyntOp: Syntactic Optionality in Italian

Sala B, Ca' Bernardo

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.

Within the broader scope of the VaRiOpInTA (Variazione e Opzionalità in Italo-romanzo) 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 our 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.

We will accept proposals of contribution that address the following topics, from a semantic and/or syntactic perspective, 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

Any theoretical framework is welcome.

Invited speakers: M. Cennamo E. Jezek, M.R. Manzini

Lingua

L'evento si terrà in inglese

Organizzatore

Department of Linguistics and Comparative Cultural Studies

Link

https://www.unive.it/pag/44475

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