Differential object marking in Northern Calabrian dialects: between argument properties, classes of predicates, and pragmatic contexts

This paper analyses the uses and the distribution of so-called differential object marking (DOM) in the dialects spoken in Cosenza, Rende, San Fili, Aprigliano, Rogliano, Santo Stefano of Rogliano, and Scigliano, in the province of Cosenza, in northern Calabria, with the aim of clarifying how object properties interact with both the telicity of the predicate and the pragmatic configuration of the event. Data were collected from 42 informants, through the recording of spontaneous and induced speech. The results of the study reported here show that: 1) both object properties (specifically, animacy and individuation) and the telicity of the predicate play a pivotal role in the use and the distribution of DOM; 2) the probability for an animate argument to be differentially marked relies on an interplay between the telicity of the predicate and the individuation of the object; 3) the presence vs. absence of DOM is related to an interaction between morphosyntactic context and pragmatic context; 4) both thematic and information structure can influence the distribution of DOM; 5) pragmatico-informational factors interact with object animacy and individuation, as well as with the telicity of the predicate