Proprietà interfrastiche e struttura argomentale in frasi participiali: testimonianze del VI secolo

This paper examines some intersentential and intrasentential aspects of the syntax of the participial structures found in a corpus of texts dated in the sixth century. From the intersentential point of view, it is argued that the relationships between participial constructions and main clauses show the first signs of the situation that is to be found in the Romance languages. Furthermore, it is pointed out that the high frequency of occurrence of participial constructions in many late Latin texts does not necessarily entail a higher degree of freedom in the use of these structures. From the intrasentential point of view, the analysis focuses on the number of the elements occurring in the participial clause and their case. It is pointed out that the majority of ablative present participle and past participle clauses show a bi-partite structure and all the nuclear elements are marked in the same case. Only a few cases show a more complex structure including an Accusative direct object. Nominative present participle clauses often display a more complex structure including an Accusative direct object.