Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS Pavia
Linguistics & Philosophy IUSS Center (L&PIC)
IUSS Theoretical Linguistic Seminars
SymSyn Project - Symmetry in Syntax
  
"BETWEEN LATIN (DN) AND NOVEL (NC): NEGATION MARKS AND NEGATIVE CONTEXTS IN MEROVINGIAN LATIN"

5 July 2021, 11.00 - 12.30
 
Speakers:  
Piera Molinelli - University of Bergamo

Andrea Moro - IUSS Pavia

Abstract:
As is well known, in classical Latin, the phrasal negation (NEG) can be expressed by different forms, but only one of them can be found in a sentence because multiple negations cancel each other out. This qualifies Classical Latin as a Double Negation (DN) language. Romance languages, in which two negations produce a strengthened negation, belong to the Negative Concord (NC) type. Between classical Latin and Romance languages there are several micro-changes related to NEG, affecting both negative adverbs and scalar quantifiers. Of these changes are found sporadic evidences already in substandard varieties of the Latin. In this presentation I will show how, in the transition from a DN language to an NC such as French, a significant phase is the Merovingian Latin (conventionally mid V century - mid VIII century) which testifies a phase of increasing preference for the NC type already in Latin. In fact, we will see that the most evident micro-changes concern the spread of nec as a focus marker, the progressive disappearance of ne and the coordination of negative words. As proof that this is an intermediate phase of the DN-NC passage, the development of minimizers such as passu(m), mica(m) is still lacking. I will try to describe the salient features of the NEG system in Latin Merovingian without assuming a teleological perspective.

Interested persons can attend the seminar at the following link:
https://iusspavia.zoom.us/j/8700221458 

Info: matteo.greco@iusspavia.it 

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