Although French is typically a language in which the subject comes before the verb, we also find constructions where the subject is in a postverbal position (through simple inversion with the verb, but also through more complex structures, such as existential and cleft constructions). In this seminar, we will investigate the syntactic structure of these sentences in different varieties of French. We will also explore the factors, particularly prosodic and discursive, that prompt the appearance of a subject in a position other than its canonical position. The features of French will be contrasted with those of other languages related to French (Romance and Germanic languages) as well as more distant languages (Bantu languages). Some concepts of Optimality Theory and Prosodic Phonology will also be introduced.

Students from other graduate programs may submit assignments in English with approval of the instructor.