The verbal group

This chapter examines the fine structure and organization of the three principal layers that make up the verbal group: the lexical VP proper, the VP left edge, and the inflexional domain of the sentential core. An examination of each of these in turn is shown to throw light on such phenomena as perfective auxiliary selection and the distribution of active participle in terms of an active-stative alignment, the distribution and interpretation of lower topicalized and focalized constituents, and the distribution and ordering of functional predicates and their associated adverbs, as well as the parameters involved in the placement of the lexical verb. Although focusing on standard Italian, the discussion also highlights some significant dimensions of diachronic, diatopic, and diaphasic variation across different varieties of Italian.