Specificational and Predicative Clauses: A Functional-Cognitive Account

Wout Van Praet

Published by De Gruyter Mouton 2022

Specificational and Predicative Clauses

A Functional-Cognitive Account

Wout Van Praet

Volume 112 in the series Topics in English Linguistics [TiEL]

https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110771992

Overview
Contents

About this book

In studies of copular clauses, the relation between specificational and predicative clauses has been a contentious issue. While most studies agree on the analysis of predicative clauses, specificational clauses have sparked much debate. A key concern is how specificational clauses with indefinite ‘variable’ NP (e.g. "A popular holiday go-to is Rome") compare to, and contrast with, other copular clauses, especially specificational clauses with definite ‘variable’ NP (e.g. "The main can’t-miss in Italy is Rome") and predicative clauses with indefinite predicate nominative (e.g. "Rome is a great city"). This book addresses this concern by offering a functional-structural analysis of these three clause types in terms of their common characteristics and distinguishing features. The analysis of the clauses’ structure and meaning is substantiated by evidence from corpus research which probes into various aspects of their actual usage (e.g. information structure and prosody, discourse-embedding). In doing so, the book offers an empirical basis for testing existing assumptions about predicative and specificational clauses, while also providing new insights into the interaction between the grammar and discourse usage of copular clauses.

Author / Editor information

Wout Van Praet, Leuven/Namur, Belgium.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	I
Acknowledgements Publicly Available Download PDF	V
Abstract Publicly Available Download PDF	VII
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	IX
Key to transcription conventions Publicly Available Download PDF	XIII
Chapter 1 Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
Chapter 2 Corpus compilation and methodology Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	21
Chapter 3 A functional-structural analysis of predicative and specificational clauses Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	38
Chapter 4 The indefinite NP in predicative and specificational copular clauses Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	119
Chapter 5 Aspect and modality in the copular clause Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	173
Chapter 6 The prosodically coded information structure of specificational and predicative copular clauses Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	205
Chapter 7 The discourse embedding of predicative and specificational clauses Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	266
Conclusion Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	303
References Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	311
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	325

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: De Gruyter Mouton
Audience: Scholars and Researchers interested in General Linguistics, Cognitive Linguistics, Grammar, and Pragmatics.
Pages
- Front matter: 11
- Main content: 329
Illustrations
- Illustrations: 27
- Coloured Illustrations: 10
- Tables: 24
Keywords: Copular Clauses; Information Structure and Prosody; Discourse-Embedding; NP Structure and Nominal Reference

eBook

Published: July 5, 2022
ISBN: 9783110771992

Hardcover

Published: July 5, 2022
ISBN: 9783110771909

Paperback

Planned Publication: June 17, 2024
ISBN: 9783111534466