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Chapter 2. Existential predication and have-possessive constructions in the languages of the world

  • Denis Creissels
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Existential Constructions across Languages
Ein Kapitel aus dem Buch Existential Constructions across Languages

Abstract

The present article deals with the relationship between have-possessive constructions and inverse-locational predication, a type of construction commonly characterized as ‘existential’, illustrated by English There is a cat in the tree (contrasting with the plain-locational clause The cat is in the tree). Some of the languages that have a transitive ‘have’ verb use the same verb as an inverse-locational predicator. Two types of historical explanations can be considered: either the inverse-locational construction developed from the impersonalization of a pre-existing have-possessive construction, or the possessive construction initially belonged to the locational-possessive type, but has undergone changes making the coding of the possessor more similar to that of A in transitive clauses and/or the coding of the possessee more similar to that of P (have-drift).

Abstract

The present article deals with the relationship between have-possessive constructions and inverse-locational predication, a type of construction commonly characterized as ‘existential’, illustrated by English There is a cat in the tree (contrasting with the plain-locational clause The cat is in the tree). Some of the languages that have a transitive ‘have’ verb use the same verb as an inverse-locational predicator. Two types of historical explanations can be considered: either the inverse-locational construction developed from the impersonalization of a pre-existing have-possessive construction, or the possessive construction initially belonged to the locational-possessive type, but has undergone changes making the coding of the possessor more similar to that of A in transitive clauses and/or the coding of the possessee more similar to that of P (have-drift).

Kapitel in diesem Buch

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Funding vii
  4. Contributors ix
  5. Chapter 1. Existential constructions 1
  6. Part I. Existence and related constructions
  7. Chapter 2. Existential predication and have-possessive constructions in the languages of the world 34
  8. Chapter 3. Impersonal existence in the weather domain 68
  9. Part II. Existence and information structure
  10. Chapter 4. Pure existentials vs. pure presentationals 102
  11. Chapter 5. Presentational clefts, existentials and information structure 139
  12. Chapter 6. On a continuum from categorical to thetic judgment 180
  13. Part III. Existence and quantification
  14. Chapter 7. The Finnish existential clause 220
  15. Chapter 8. Partition and existence 245
  16. Part IV. Existence and negation
  17. Chapter 9. Is the French verb manquer ‘lack, miss’ a negative existential predicate? 284
  18. Chapter 10. ‘To be’ and its negation in Latvian 301
  19. Chapter 11. Words also exist in a world 325
  20. Index 347
  21. Language index 352
https://doi.org/10.1075/hcp.76.02cre

Kapitel in diesem Buch

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Funding vii
  4. Contributors ix
  5. Chapter 1. Existential constructions 1
  6. Part I. Existence and related constructions
  7. Chapter 2. Existential predication and have-possessive constructions in the languages of the world 34
  8. Chapter 3. Impersonal existence in the weather domain 68
  9. Part II. Existence and information structure
  10. Chapter 4. Pure existentials vs. pure presentationals 102
  11. Chapter 5. Presentational clefts, existentials and information structure 139
  12. Chapter 6. On a continuum from categorical to thetic judgment 180
  13. Part III. Existence and quantification
  14. Chapter 7. The Finnish existential clause 220
  15. Chapter 8. Partition and existence 245
  16. Part IV. Existence and negation
  17. Chapter 9. Is the French verb manquer ‘lack, miss’ a negative existential predicate? 284
  18. Chapter 10. ‘To be’ and its negation in Latvian 301
  19. Chapter 11. Words also exist in a world 325
  20. Index 347
  21. Language index 352
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Heruntergeladen am 12.9.2025 von https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1075/hcp.76.02cre/html
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