Periferia sinistra della frase in vedico: topic e focus

This article addresses selected aspects of the information structure of the Vedic clause, with particular emphasis on the left periphery and its interaction with phenomena such as topicalization, focalization, and left dislocation. The analysis is based on data drawn from both Vedic prose and poetry, with special attention to the Atharvaveda and the Ṛgveda. From a theoretical perspective, the study is situated within the framework of Split-CP approaches and aims to assess the extent to which the left periphery of the Vedic clause can be described as a structurally articulated domain, rather than as a single discoursefunctional position, as has sometimes been assumed. Specific attention is devoted to the co-occurrence of topicalized constituents, often associated with resumptive pronouns, and focalized elements, which generally lack resumption and are sometimes marked by focus particles. The behavior of complementizers in subordinate clauses is also examined, in order to evaluate whether discursively salient material may occur in the left periphery even in the presence of a Ctype head, and whether complementizers themselves may occupy different positions within the CP domain. Finally, the article considers correlative constructions in Vedic, discussing their placement in the left periphery and their relationship to the clause’s information structure.