Hello everybody,

I am working on a study about the position of the element "perché" (because) representing a causal clause, in the Italian variety of Ancona (region Marche's main city).

My supervisor and I have observed that when the main clause - to which the perché-clause is attached - is silent, the whole causal IP moves to a position higher than "perché"/because, as in the example:

a) qualcuno va a fare spesa oggi? Io sono impegnata perché.

(is anybody going grocery shopping today? I am busy because)

We assume that before "io sono impegnata perché" there should be a main clause such as "Faccio questa domanda perché..." (I am asking this question because). When such a clause is uttered, there is no way that the causal IP can move higher than perché. Whereas, when the main clause is omitted, in Anconetano the causal IP moves. This does not happen in Italian, at least on the PF.

Is there a way I could implement this research by using a computational perspective or means of investigation?

Thanks!