Clitic Climbing

In generative syntax, clitic climbing is a movement of a clitic out of its local domain.

Examples
As in (ii):




 * (i)||Gianni||vuole||vederli||
 * ||Gianni||wants||see-them||
 * }
 * ||Gianni||wants||see-them||
 * }
 * }


 * (ii)||Gianni||li||vuole||''vedere||
 * ||Gianni||them||-wants||see||
 * }
 * ||Gianni||them||-wants||see||
 * }
 * }

In (i) the clitic li is in its normal position, cliticized on the infinitive. In (ii) the clitic is moved out of the domain of the infinitive and cliticized on the matrix verb vuole.

Comments
This phenomenon is also common in other Romance languages, but not in French. Clitic Climbing facts have led to the assumption that certain verbs, like volere in Italian, trigger Restructuring.

Link
Utrecht Lexicon of Linguistics