440 LINDA SCHWARTZ
1.4 Italian
The pattern of subjective behavior of attributive and identificational con
structions can be seen in the Italian examples in (16)-(19). In Italian, the
preverbal clitic ne can occur with objective verbs with postverbal subjects,
as shown in (16), but not with subjective verbs, as shown in (17). Attribu
tive and identificational constructions pattern like subjectives, as shown in
(18)-(19)-^6
(16) a. Molti uomini sono arrivati.
many men are come
"Many men have come."
b. Ne sono arrivati molti.
of-them are come many
"Many of them have come."
(17) a. Tre uomini Hanno telefonato.
three men have telephoned
"Three men have telephoned."
b. Ne hanno telefonato tre.
of-them have telephoned three
"Three of them have telephoned."
(18) a. Molti ragazzi sono buoni.
many children are good
"Many children are good."
b. ?Ne sono buoni molti.
of-them are good many
"Many of them are good."
(19) a. Molti uomini sono professori.
many men are professors
"Many men are professors."
b. *Ne sono professori molti
of-them are professors many
"Many of them are professors."
However, while attributive and identificational constructions in Italian do
not allow ne cliticization, thus patterning as subjectives, they do use the
auxiliary essere, which is claimed to be the auxiliary of objectives (see
(16a)) but not subjectives, as shown in (20)-(21).