Rule reminder
When analysing absolute constructions in extended text, use the following steps: (1) identify the past or present participle; (2) find the noun that the participle agrees with — this is the absolute's subject; (3) confirm that this subject is different from the main clause subject; (4) determine the logical relationship (temporal, causal, concessive); (5) check agreement for gender and number. In complex sentences, multiple absolutes may appear, and some participial modifiers may look like absolutes but are actually reduced relative clauses.
In an academic paper on Italian grammar: 'Esaminati numerosi testi normativi del periodo repubblicano, analizzata la frequenza delle costruzioni assolute nei diversi generi testuali, e confrontati i risultati con corpora di italiano contemporaneo, emerge che la costruzione assoluta è in progressivo calo nel registro amministrativo ma rimane stabile in quello letterario.' What is the main clause?