Edited by Ingo Feldhausen, Martin Elsig, Imme Kuchenbrandt and Mareike Neuhaus
[Romance Languages and Linguistic Theory 15] 2019
► pp. 199–218
In the generative literature on Romanian, there is disagreement on the status of preverbal subjects: some researchers consider that they are always fronted by topicalization or focalization, whereas others hold that preverbal subjects that are neither topics nor foci can be found. Based on an analysis of the conditions for topicalization, I argue that the latter view is correct. On the other hand, there are configurations in which a preverbal subject must be a topic (if it is not focus-fronted). I offer a prosodic account for the ban on SV with non-topical S in this type of examples. Moreover, I show that oblique experiencers in non-canonical argument structures behave like nominative subjects with respect to the availability of an unmarked preverbal position.