Quirky Subjects in Old French*

Abstract

Abstract. The aim of this paper is to show that Old French makes great use of quirky subjects. Dubbed ‘impersonal constructions’ in the traditional literature, such structures typically involve an empty subject position that a dative or accusative comes to fill. This, I show, very much resembles the operation called Stylistic Fronting which is clearly available in Old French. The hypothesis put forward is that Stylistically Fronted elements and oblique subjects target TopP+, a special Topic position above TP. Many examples are introduced showing that oblique preverbal elements are true subjects and that pro is thus not the subject of impersonal constructions in Old French. The paper also argues that in Old French, tense rather than agreement is responsible for the licensing of nominative case.