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Chapter 7. The comitative-copular basis of possessive-existential constructions in Brazilian Portuguese

  • Juanito Ornelas de Avelar
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Minimalist Essays on Brazilian Portuguese Syntax
This chapter is in the book Minimalist Essays on Brazilian Portuguese Syntax

Abstract

This paper shows that some properties of possessive and existential sentences in Brazilian Portuguese can be properly explained if the possessive-existential verb ter ‘have’ is derived by the combination of the features associated with estar ‘be’ and the features corresponding to the comitative preposition com ‘with’. I will concentrate on the following facts: (i) the thematic parallelism betweenter- and estar com-clauses in possessive and existential domains; (ii) the restrict interpretation of null possessors in ter-constructions; and (iii) the emergence of ter as an existential verb in Brazilian Portuguese, but not in European Portuguese.

Abstract

This paper shows that some properties of possessive and existential sentences in Brazilian Portuguese can be properly explained if the possessive-existential verb ter ‘have’ is derived by the combination of the features associated with estar ‘be’ and the features corresponding to the comitative preposition com ‘with’. I will concentrate on the following facts: (i) the thematic parallelism betweenter- and estar com-clauses in possessive and existential domains; (ii) the restrict interpretation of null possessors in ter-constructions; and (iii) the emergence of ter as an existential verb in Brazilian Portuguese, but not in European Portuguese.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction
  4. Chapter 1. Brazilian Portuguese under minimalist lenses 3
  5. Part I. Movement and empty category issues
  6. Chapter 2. Null subjects and finite control in Brazilian Portuguese 17
  7. Chapter 3. Movement and resumption in null possessor constructions in Brazilian Portuguese 51
  8. Chapter 4. Patterns of extraction out of factive Islands in Brazilian Portuguese 69
  9. Chapter 5. A Uniform raising analysis for standard and nonstandard relative clauses in Brazilian Portuguese 93
  10. Chapter 6. Stress shift as a diagnostics for identifying empty categories in Brazilian Portuguese 121
  11. Part II. Issues on the syntax-morphology interface
  12. Chapter 7. The comitative-copular basis of possessive-existential constructions in Brazilian Portuguese 139
  13. Chapter 8. Topicalization of verbal projections in Brazilian Portuguese 161
  14. Chapter 9. Preposition contraction and morphological sideward movement in Brazilian Portuguese 191
  15. Chapter 10. Lack of morphological identity and ellipsis resolution in Brazilian Portuguese 215
  16. Author index 237
  17. Language index 239
  18. Subject index 241
https://doi.org/10.1075/la.142.10ave

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction
  4. Chapter 1. Brazilian Portuguese under minimalist lenses 3
  5. Part I. Movement and empty category issues
  6. Chapter 2. Null subjects and finite control in Brazilian Portuguese 17
  7. Chapter 3. Movement and resumption in null possessor constructions in Brazilian Portuguese 51
  8. Chapter 4. Patterns of extraction out of factive Islands in Brazilian Portuguese 69
  9. Chapter 5. A Uniform raising analysis for standard and nonstandard relative clauses in Brazilian Portuguese 93
  10. Chapter 6. Stress shift as a diagnostics for identifying empty categories in Brazilian Portuguese 121
  11. Part II. Issues on the syntax-morphology interface
  12. Chapter 7. The comitative-copular basis of possessive-existential constructions in Brazilian Portuguese 139
  13. Chapter 8. Topicalization of verbal projections in Brazilian Portuguese 161
  14. Chapter 9. Preposition contraction and morphological sideward movement in Brazilian Portuguese 191
  15. Chapter 10. Lack of morphological identity and ellipsis resolution in Brazilian Portuguese 215
  16. Author index 237
  17. Language index 239
  18. Subject index 241
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