Abstract

This paper focuses on the Italian conjunctive locution con tutto che from its grammaticalisation in the 13 th century as an introducer of concessive sentences, mainly used in the Tuscan area, up to its current diatopic characterisation as typical of the area of Rome. First of all, a proposal is given concerning the grammaticalisation process that led to the contrast-conjunction. Concessive sentences introduced by con tutto che are then analysed through a conspicuous body of examples taken from texts dating from the 13 th to 20 th century and with reference to the main normative grammars of the Italian language from the 16 th century up to the present.