Search

This article deals with the question of the connection between grammaticalized categories and specific patterns of information organization in the verbalization of events. Following studies on macrostructural planning principles, we examine, on the basis of the retellings of a film, the role of typological categories such as pro-drop and word order in determining core features in information organization. With respect to the latter, we put special emphasis on information selection and information packaging. The comparison of Italian and French intends to display patterned differences between two typologically close languages with respect to information organization. Thus, this article seeks to reveal subtle but systematic differences between the two languages that provide insights into how relevant information is structured.