Centering theory and the Italian pronominal system

In this paper, I give an account, in terms of centering theory [GJW86], of some phenomena of pronominalization in Italian, in particular the use of the null or the overt pronoun in subject position. After a general introduction to the Italian pronominal system, I will review centering, and then show how the original rules given in [GJW86] have to be extended or modified. Finally, I will show that centering does not account for two phenomena: first, the functional role of an utterance may override the predictions of centering; second, a null subject can be used to refer to a whole discourse segment. This later phenomenon should ideally be explained in the same terms that the other phenomena in volving null subject are.