Left and right dislocation
Place an object as topic and match it with a clitic.
Left dislocation: announce the object first
In left dislocation, a direct object appears before the clause and is resumed by an object clitic: «Il rapporto, lo ha firmato Elena». Il rapporto is the topic; lo keeps its object relation visible inside the clause. For a feminine singular object use la; for a masculine plural object use li. A preposed time frame such as «Il 14 giugno, il comitato esaminò il rapporto» is not the same construction: it has no repeated direct object. In a planned formal text, use the dislocation only when it helps the listener follow an established topic.
- Il rapporto, lo ha firmato Elena.· As for the report, Elena signed it.
- La proposta, il comitato non l’ha approvata.· As for the proposal, the committee has not approved it.
- I commenti, li ha ricevuti la biblioteca.· As for the comments, the library received them.
- Il 14 giugno, il comitato esaminò il rapporto.· On 14 June, the committee examined the report.
Right dislocation: identify the referent after the clause
In right dislocation, a clitic appears before an object named at the end: «Lo ha firmato Elena, il rapporto». The final phrase can identify, recover, or re-anchor the referent for the listener. It is not always a simple mirror image of left dislocation in discourse effect. Compare neutral «Elena ha firmato il rapporto» with both marked orders; all can report the same signing. Never use a focus device to upgrade a signed report into an approved pilot. In a formal written notice, neutral order may be clearer than repeated marked structures.
- Lo ha firmato Elena, il rapporto.· Elena signed it, the report.
- Non l’ha approvata il comitato, la proposta.· The committee did not approve it, the proposal.
- Li abbiamo letti, i diciotto commenti volontari.· We have read them, the eighteen voluntary comments.
- Elena ha firmato il rapporto: ordine non marcato.· Elena signed the report: unmarked order.