Linking Theory and Lexical Ambiguity: The Case of Italian Motion Verbs

Abstract

This chapter takes into account the interactions between motion verbs and spatial prepositions in Romance languages, considering Italian as a case study. We will show that, contrary to traditional approaches (Zin-garelli, 1995; Serianni, 1988), there is no need to assume that spatial prepositions in Italian are almost systematically ambiguous between a static and a dynamic interpretation. Such an assumption, which is made in analogy with Germanic languages, hides the generalization that monosyllabic static and dynamic Italian locative prepositions axe not distinct.