In search for polarity contrast marking in Italian

Abstract

In the current paper, we examine polarity contrast marking in Italian in contexts where a contrast in polarity (polarity maintenance or switch) is the main information to be conveyed. We analyze and compare two kinds of data: elicited speech from Map Task dialogues and read speech focusing on clausal replies echoing (part of) the prompt. We tackle the questions how frequently do speakers of Italian use echo replies when confirming or correcting the polarity of a negatively biased question; what are the syntactic and prosodic properties of Italian echo replies in these contexts, and how often speakers produce verum focus when no other option is available for marking a contrast in polarity. The results confirm that the marking of polarity contrast, and in particular, prosodic encoding through verum focus, is possible although not a preferred option in Italian. Polarity contrast can also be left unspecified. This result supports earlier findings about the instability of polarity marking in Italian. In addition to this, the results indicate that verum focus readings can also emerge as a result of morpho-syntactic manipulations, such as the use of clitic right dislocation. In this case, the prosodic highlighting of the verb can be seen as an effect of a syntactic operation.

Contrast marking variation in Romance and Germanic languages

“…In order to further investigate the boundaries for contrast marking in the domain of polarity in Romance languages, we focused on Italian speakers (Andorno & Crocco 2018) in a condition differing from both Finite Story and the Polarity Switch dialogue with respect to the effect of the contrast on the alternative proposition: in this case, the assertion of the contrasting information is meant to reject information already available in the common ground. This possibly lead to speakers being less reluctant to mark a polarity contrast.…”