The emergence of verb-particle constructions in Italian: locative and actional meanings

Abstract

The paper deals with verb-particle constructions in Italian, i.e. complex predicates formed by a verbal base and a modifying post-verbal particle. In recent years a lot of interest has been devoted to these constructions in the Germanic languages, and investigation has been focusing mostly on their structure. Recently, some studies have shown that similar constructions also exist in the Italian language. Our contribution adopts a constructionist approach and aims at improving our knowledge of the properties of verb-particle constructions in Italian with particular reference to semantics and Aktionsart. The paper shows that Italian post-verbal particles contribute to the Aktionsart of verb-particle constructions. Even though Italian does not present a coherent system of actional particles, there are nonetheless some traces of regularity. One case in point is the emergence of a specific verbparticle construction with via ÔawayÕ that developed an actional function. The paper also discusses the diachronic and synchronic relationship between verbal prefixes and post-verbal particles, trying to determine whether these two strategies cooperate or compete in the expression of locative and aspectual meanings.

From verbal prefixes to direction/result markers in Romance

“…a particle. Iacobini and Masini (2007) argue against this generalization claiming that Italian -at the light of the data quoted in §1 -"does not conform to Talmy's generalization, since it behaves more like English than Spanish." Mateu/Rigau (2010: 242) reach a different conclusion, proposing that "Italian verbi sintagmatici resemble Germanic phrasal verbs, but only superficially".…”

“…7 Old French examples are discussed in Dufresne et alii (2003); for ancient Italian see Masini (2006) and Jezek/Strik-Lievers (2010); for old Italian dialects see Cordin (2011). 8 See Iacobini/Masini (2007). 9 Among others, see Schwarze (1985), Simone (1997), Jansen (2004), Cini (2008).…”

“…The adverb expresses not only the direction that is involved as a component of the activity, but -as Iacobini/Masini (2007) notice-it gives an aspectual information, suggesting a telic reading, that emphasizes the success of the process and that underlines its result, changing an activity into an accomplishment.…”

La construcción llorar las penas: un nuevo caso de tipología germánica en una lengua romance

“…De hecho, cada vez se señalan más casos de comportamientos mixtos en ambas tipologías (Beavers et al 2010, Filipović 2007, Iacobini y Masini, 2006, Fortis, 2010, Croft et al 2010, Martínez Vázquez 2013 1 Conviene aclarar que estas restricciones que se observan en las lenguas romances actuales no se aplican al latín, que sí admitía construcciones resultativas como iungere pontem 'hacer un puente uniendo' o aperire viam 'hacer un camino abriendo' (Bassols de Climent 1971: 45-46). Curiosamente esta última expresión se mantiene en español.…”

Komplekse verber (verbum+partikel konstruktioner) <br>- på dansk og standarditaliensk og i diverse norditalienske dialekter

“…Som det dog efterhånden er blevet slået fast i flere nyere studier (bl.a. Simone 1997, Venier 1997, Jezek 2002, Antelmi 2002, Jansen 2004a, Iacobini & Masini 2005, 2006, 2007, med Raffaele Simones artikel fra 1997 som et vigtigt referencepunkt), kan der konstateres en stigende tendens til også på italiensk at anvende denne type komplekse verber, altså verbum+partikel konstruktioner Uf. andare su/gi:u/dentro/Juori), i stedet for, eller parallelt med de ovennaevnte syntetiske aekvivalenter.…”