Il clitico soggetto di terza persona al in friulano centrale: proposta per una nuova analisi

This chapter discusses the syntactic properties of the subject clitici pronoun 'al' ('he.CL') in Central Friulian. The description is based on a comparison with Western Friulian, in which the clitic cluster 'a l' occurs. We show that the Central Friulian 'al' is syntactically different and should be analysed as a single clitic. In the cases in which 'al' does not occur (this happens when another clitic pronoun is present), or when it occurs in the form -l (only after negation: 'nol' 'not=he.CL) is due to phonology. Our proposal is also strengthened by considering data from aphasia: aphasic speakers of Central Friulian seem to conceive the 'al' as a single clitic.