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Information-Structural Perspectives on Discourse Particles
Edited by Pierre-Yves Modicom and Olivier Duplâtre
[Studies in Language Companion Series 213] 2020
► pp. 111–132

Chapter 4
From focus marking to illocutionary modification

Functional developments of Italian solo ‘only’

| University of Turin | Humboldt University of Berlin

This paper investigates the polyfunctionality of the Italian adverb solo ‘only’. Beside its prototypical use as an exclusive focus particle, the adverb solo has developed some secondary uses which have not yet been investigated: connective uses (uses as a conjunctional adverb and as a discourse marker) and illocutive uses (use as an illocutionary operator tied to specific speech-act types). By analyzing the different contexts of occurrence and possible paths of semantic change, the meaning variation of solo is described and a synchronic categorization is laid out. Particular attention has been devoted to its illocutive uses, the meaning of which displays a complex interrelationship between features pertaining to the information structure level (focus marking, common ground management) and features connected to the speech-act domain (marking of the illocutionary force and speech-act specification in an interpersonal perspective).

Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Basic notions of information structure
  • 3. Solo as a focus particle
    • 3.1Focus particles and information structure
    • 3.2The meaning of solo
  • 4.Functional developments of solo : Connective uses
  • 5.Functional developments of solo : Illocutive uses
    • 5.1Directive speech acts
    • 5.2Assertive speech acts
    • 5.3A possible bridging context for solo in assertive speech acts
    • 5.4Illocutive uses of solo : Summary
  • 6.Conclusions
  • Notes
  • References
  • Corpora
Published online: 4 March 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.213.04fav
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Corpora

LIP = De Mauro, Tullio, Mancini, Federico, Vedovelli, Massimo & Voghera, Miriam
1993 Lessico di frequenza dell’italiano parlato. Milano: ETAS Libri. http://​badip​.uni​-graz​.at​/it/
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