Article published in:
Languages in Contrast
Vol. 21:1 (2021) ► pp. 1–27

On clitic placement and gradience of strength of FP in Western Ibero-Romance

| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Old (Medieval and Classical) Spanish permitted finite enclisis and as such is classified as a strong-F language, as are many archaic varieties of Romance languages. Notable about Old Spanish is that, prior to the 1500s, interpolation arrangements were acceptable and rather common, as is still the case of Galician and some dialects of Portuguese. However, from the 1500s onward, interpolation in Old Spanish was no longer productive, much like modern Asturian. This is evidence that the “strong-weak” dichotomy of FP is insufficient to explain the situation of the languages. I argue that the strength of FP should be described as not only “weak” or “strong,” but instead on a gradient scale to distinguish languages that permit a range of possible clitic arrangements.
Keywords: syntax, clitic placement, F projection, Romance, Asturian/Galician/Portuguese/Spanish
Published online: 15 January 2020
https://doi.org/10.1075/lic.18001.gra
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