A few of the kernel patterns will be re-examined now in order to show how the order of the components in English does not correspond to the order in Italian.
In some cases, like those listed hereunder, the differences are simply due to the syntactic constructs: this applies in particular to double transitive verbs, verbs of perception, and causative verbs.
With adjectives as object complements in English, the normal order is N-sv V-tr N-ov Aj-oc; in Italian, the adjective often comes before the object noun phrase:
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1) I consider this matter important |
Considero importante la questione |
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2) She finds these meetings useless |
Trova inutili queste riunioni |
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3) They declared the hostilities ceased |
Dichiararono cessate le ostilità |
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4) I'll paint the door white |
Dipingerò di bianco la porta |
Compare the last example with
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4a) I'll paint the white door |
Dipingerò la porta bianca |
A nominal object complement leads to a totally similar contrast: the order is N-sv V-tr N-ov N-oc in English and N-sv V-tr N-oc N-ov in Italian.
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5) We elected Oscar chairman |
Abbiamo eletto presidente Oscar |
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6) They appointed Mr Shillan treasurer |
Nominarono tesoriere il sig. Shillan |
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7) I name this ship the Mr Stalin |
Battezzo "Stalin" questa nave |
A verb of perception in English is normally followed by the object and by the verb expressing the action that is perceived: N-sv V-tr (perception) N-ov Vø/V-ing; (31) in Italian the second verb often follows the verb of perception immediately:
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8) I saw the child go out |
Ho visto uscire il bambino |
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9) We heard a door slam / being slammed |
Sentimmo sbattere una porta |
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10) They smelt something burning |
Sentirono bruciare qualcosa |
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11) He felt his hand hurt |
Sentì dolere la mano |
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12) She likes to watch the snow falling |
Le piace guardar cadere la neve |
The Italian "complemento di termine o favore" does not usually come before the object but after it, so this normally leads to a difference between Italian and English N-sv V-tr N-io N-ov:
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13) I bought my son a new dictionary |
Ho comperato un dizionario nuovo per mio figlio |
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14) They gave John the parcel |
Diedero il pacco a John |
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15) We sent the editor a letter |
Mandammo una lettera al direttore |
The pattern is similar to the one for perception verbs: in Italian the second verb immediately follows the causative verb, whereas in English the object is between the two verbs, on the basis of the pattern N-sv V-tr(causative) N-ov Vø/to-V:
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16) The wind made the fence collapse |
Il vento fece crollare la staccionata |
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17) The rebels let the prisoners escape |
I rivoltosi fecero fuggire i prigionieri |
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18) The crisis is causing unemployment to rise |
La crisi sta facendo crescere la disoccupazione |
The same holds when the verb following Italian fare has a passive value and corresponds to an English past participle according to the pattern N-sv V-tr(causative) N-ov V-en:
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19) I've had my car repaired |
Ho fatto riparare l'auto |
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20) They got their house redecorated |
Fecero ridipingere la casa |
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21) He can make himself understood in Danish |
Si fa capire in danese |
3.5. Inversions with negatives
In formal or literary English, negative or restrictive adverbials can be placed at the beginning of a sentence; is such cases, an auxiliary or modal must come before the subject, which is then followed by the verb phrase (Neg Aux N-sv VP):
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22) Never had I seen so many people |
Non avevo mai visto così tanta gente |
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23) Never could I understand the reason |
Non riuscii mai a comprendere il motivo |
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24) Only then did I realise my mistake |
Solo allora mi resi conto del mio errore |
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25) Only to the extent that this intention dominates the intention to report "facts" [...] is the text considered literary. (32) |
Solo nella misura in cui questa intenzione domina l'intenzione di riferire "fatti" [...] il testo viene considerato letterario. |
We saw some exclamation patterns in § 1.4; in several cases the word order does not mirror the Italian one, in particular as regards the reciprocal position of subject and verb. The order is Excl O-S-V in English but Excl O-V-S in Italian:
26) What beautiful hair that girl has! Che bei capelli ha quella ragazza!
This applies both when the object is a NP, as in the example we have just seen, and when the exclamation is based on an adjective. The order is Excl adj-S-V in English; in Italian, the adjective can be placed at the end:
27) How easy it was! Com'è stato facile!
or the subject may be the last element in Italian:
28) How pretty Maggie looked! Che aspetto grazioso aveva Maggie!
A case of subject-verb inversion, without differences in the two languages, is found in exclamations like:
29) Long live the Queen! Viva la Regina!
3.7. Inversions in non-finite clauses
Non-finite clauses are clauses containing infinitives or participles only; they may function as disjuncts outside the main clause:
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30) This done, he bade us good-night |
Fatto ciò, ci diede la buonanotte |
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31) The doors closed, the meeting went on without any strangers |
Chiuse le porte, la riunione proseguì senza estranei |
The most frequent differences are found in two cases: with adverbs of frequency and with adverbs of manner. In the first case the word order does not coincide because the adverb of frequency precedes the main verb in English and follows it in Italian:
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32) I always go to work by car |
Vado sempre al lavoro in auto |
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33) They never help me |
Non mi aiutano mai |
In the second case, the adverb of manner can be found between V-tr and N-ov in Italian but not in English:
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34) She speaks French fluently |
Parla correntemente il francese |
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35) I'll examine the papers carefully |
Esaminerò attentamente i documenti |
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