Mi godo la vita a Venezia: A research among gondoliers and students on some pronominal particles
Abstract
Romance languages, as well as some non-Romance languages, use so-called reflexive pronouns in contexts where reflexivity is, strictly speaking, not being expressed. Examples include Mi studio l'intera lezione or Mi mangio un panino. These uses have been given the name, amongst others, pseudo-reflexives (Oesterreicher 1993), and their use may vary not only from one language to another, but also between regional varieties of the same language. This paper approaches the subject in Italian from the speaker’s perspective. Our aim is to study possible synchronic variation in the use or non-use of PRPs (pseudo reflexive particles) with different verbs with respect to different groups of speakers, as well as to the verbal semantics, verb tenses, person or to the type and form of direct object. For this approach, we have built upon research carried out using surveys conducted in 2023 in Venice with students and gondoliers. The evaluation of these results serves as a basis for an evaluation of the possible function of PRP in these contexts, as well as for a comparison of Italian with other Romance languages, such as French and Spanish, from the point of view of the semantics of implemented verbs.
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