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This is a Quantitative Study study.

October 1, 2025Open Access

Embedded stripping in Italian and Complementizer Deletion

Key Points

The availability of embedded stripping significantly correlates with the absence of the complementizer.
Unexpectedly, complementizer deletion is preferred even in indicative embedded sentences, which typically restrict such deletion.
An experimental analysis was conducted using a Likert scale with data from 58 subjects assessing Italian sentences.
This study provides insights into patterns based on mood and epistemic heads, with implications for understanding double access readings.

Abstract

In this work I propose an experimental analysis of the role of Complementizer Deletion (CD) in embedded stripping in Italian. I follow Wurmbrand (2017), who proposes the existence of a typological bipartition of languages, namely those which only allow embedded stripping in the absence of the complementizer and those which allow embedded stripping without resorting to CD. In this article, I consider the results of a Likert scale on Italian sentences, on 58 subjects, and conclude that the availability of embedded stripping correlates with the absence of the complementizer. Unexpectedly, CD is preferred over complementizer realization even in indicative embedded sentences, which generally do not allow the complementizer to be deleted. In the article I propose an analysis of this phenomenon based on mood, epistemic heads, and Double Access Reading.

Embedded stripping in Italian and Complementizer Deletion

Key Points

Abstract

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