Copular Constructions in Lithuanian

The fourth volume in the VARGReB series presents an in-depth investigation of Lithuanian copular constructions from the viewpoint of Cognitive Grammar. Apart from the fundamental problems of the ontology and taxonomy of copular sentences, the author also discusses a number of more specific questions on which the Lithuanian data, contrasted with those of English and other languages hitherto dealt with in the literature, can shed an interesting light, such as the nature and distinctive features of specificationals, the problem of subjecthood in this subtype of copular constructions, the aspectual semantics of copular sentences, etc. The attention given to the grammatical context of copular constructions and the multifarious relationships linking them to other construction types enhances the book’s relevance to the field of Lithuanian studies, whereas the dialogue and confrontation between the Cognitive perspective adopted by the author and the more formal approaches hitherto applied to the problem of copular sentences will add to its interest for the general reader.

Tuomas Huumo, University of Turku:
This book is a recommendable read for any linguist interested in Cognitive Grammar approaches to clause structure. It presents an insightful account of the structure and semantics of Lithuanian copular constructions and their relation with existential, possessive and locative construction types. The author also addresses a number of more general questions concerning grammatical subjects, predicative nominals, copulas, and case marking, against the fascinating background of Lithuanian grammar.