Chapter 11
Italian faire-infinitives
The special case of volere
The first aim of this squib is to show that, under the correct syntactic configuration, volere ‘want’ can be embedded in Italian faire-infinitives (FI), contrary to previous claims. Secondly, we show that want-FIs exhibit peculiar properties: (i) they disallow a full DP causee; (ii) they permit intermediate cliticisation onto volere; (iii) they allow optional splitting of clitic clusters; and (iv) they marginally permit an accusative causee in transitive contexts where the object is a clitic. We attribute these effects to defective intervention which bans a full DP causee and requires the creation of a biclausal ECM construction, where accusative is exceptionally licensed, and where the selection of a silent OBTAIN by ‘want’ creates an additional clitic position.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Embedding volere in Italian faire-infinitives
- 3.Want-FIs: Syntactic properties
- 4.Clitic transitive causee: defective intervention
- 5.Accusative transitive causee: ECM construction
- 6.Intermediate cliticisation: Silent OBTAIN
- 7.Conclusions
-
Acknowledgements
-
Notes
-
References
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