36.1629, Books: Focus in Italian: an experimental interface approach: Carella (2024)

[The LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-36-1629. Sat May 24 2025. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 36.1629, Books: Focus in Italian: an experimental interface approach: Carella (2024)

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Date: 23-May-2025
From: Ulrich Lueders [contact at lincom.eu]
Subject: Focus in Italian: an experimental interface approach: Carella (2024)


Title: Focus in Italian: an experimental interface approach
Series Title: LINCOM Studies in Romance Linguistics 87
Publication Year: 2024

Publisher: Lincom GmbH
           https://lincom-shop.eu/
Book URL:
https://lincom-shop.eu/epages/57709feb-b889-4707-b2ce-c666fc88085d.sf/de_DE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/57709feb-b889-4707-b2ce-c666fc88085d/Products/%22ISBN%209783969391914%22

Author(s): Giorgio Carella

17x24 cm. Paperback. ISBN 978 3 96939 191 4. LINCOM Studies in Romance
Linguistics 87. 84pp. EUR 68.80.

Abstract:

This study deals with the use of Focus in Italian, adopting an
interface perspective that takes into account the interactions between
the different levels of analysis involved. This research concentrates
on three types of Focus (i.e., Information Focus, Corrective Focus and
Mirative Focus) and is aimed at investigating (i) the syntactic and
prosodic properties of the three Foci, and (ii) their behaviour in
different embedded contexts.
In order to achieve these goals a written acceptability judgment test
has been designed and distributed to 120 native speakers of the
Italian variety spoken in Lazio. Since initial test results generated
new queries, subsequent tests on production and prosodic aspects have
been designed and run.
The analysis of experimental data suggests that in-situ positioning is
preferred for all Focus types syntactically, with fronting being less
acceptable. Prosodically, the canonical intonation linked with Focus
is identified as H*+L contour, while a rising L+H* tone validates the
'discourse salience' of the focused element, marking an Intonational
Boundary. These findings suggest independent Intonational Phrases for
Focus constituents, aligning with previous proposals.
The study, organized across four Chapters, concludes by consolidating
the diverse test outcomes and proposing a comprehensive analysis.

Linguistic Field(s): General Linguistics

Subject Language(s): Italian (ita)

Written In: English (eng)



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