Cartography and Microparametric variation: Criterial V2 in Swiss Romansh varieties

Authors

  • Giuseppe Samo Beijing Language and Culture University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31513/linguistica.2019.v15n3a27546

Keywords:

Cartography, Microparameters, Verb Second, Romansh, Criteria.

Abstract

In this article, I shall provide evidence for a theory of microparametric variation among Swiss Romansh varieties adopting a cartographic notion of parameter in terms of syntactic operations triggered by morphosyntactic features in functional projections. I shall discuss evidence showing how such a notion of parameter is extremely powerful in describing linguistic variability at a microlevel of the syntactic architectures. Adopting the guidelines of a Criterial V2, in which the inflected verb creates a Spec-Head configuration with the highest activated criterial head in the syntactic architecture, I shall observe microparametric variation within Swiss Romansh and with respect to other V2 languages, such as German. The language variability only relies on the interactions of basic factors, such as the presence of a functional projection and the syntactic operations triggered by the functional element. In the specific, it is possible to observe German and SR varieties vary in the activation of syntactic instructions in discourse related functional projections such as SubjP, ModP and ForceP. The role of morphosyntactic features thus describes in microparametric terms the richness of configurations predicted by cartographic guidelines and provide fine-grained typologies of set of languages.

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Original in English.

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31513/linguistica.2019.v15n3a27546

Author Biography

Giuseppe Samo, Beijing Language and Culture University

Dr. of Linguistics, Lecturer of Linguistics in the Department of Linguistics at BLCU. Giuseppe Samo recently discussed his PhD dissertation (under the supervision of Prof. Luigi Rizzi and Prof. Ur Shlonsky) at the University of Geneva, working on a formal model to account syntactic micro-variation among V2 languages, focusing on Germanic languages and Swiss Romansh varieties, adopting cartographic analytical tools. Previously, he completed his education at the University of Siena. He first graduated in intercultural studies” during which he spent a semester at the Georg-August University of Göttingen, with a special focus on Germanic Philology and linguistics. He then obtained a Master degree in Linguistics and Cognitive Studies. His interests include the role of syntactic theory at the interfaces with pragmatics, computer linguistics and data science. Finally, he carries dissemination activities concerning linguistic theory to a more general public.

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Published

2019-12-30

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 3 (2019): Functional projections, cartography and nanosyntax

Section

Articles

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