Chapter published in:
Hispanic Linguistics: Current issues and new directionsEdited by Alfonso Morales-Front, Michael J. Ferreira, Ronald P. Leow and Cristina Sanz
[Issues in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics 26] 2020
► pp. 137–160
The aspectual structure of the adjective
Spanish ser and estar
Alfredo García-Pardo | SUNY Purchase
Mythili Menon | Wichita State University
This paper argues that the stage-level and
individual-level distinctions for adjectival predicates, diagnosed
in Spanish by the copulas ser and
estar, can be derived by positing a sortal
distinction in the temporal arguments in the syntax: The temporal
argument of individual-level adjectives denotes time intervals,
whereas the time argument of stage-level adjectives denotes time
instants. We provide evidence from the (un-)acceptability of certain
temporal modifiers, the progressive, and lifetime effects. We
furthermore show how our account can also explain other instances of
the ser and estar distribution
beyond adjectives, such as verbal and adjectival passives and
locative constructions with and without eventive subjects.
Keywords: ser, estar, copulas, adjectives, aspect, gradability, time arguments
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Gradability-based approaches
- 2.1Merits and problems for the gradability account
- 3.Analysis
- 3.1The technical implementation
- 4.Temporal evidence
- 4.1The Progressive and <estar + Adj>
- 4.2Lifetime effects
- 5.Beyond adjectives: Passives and locatives
- 5.1Stative and eventive passives
- 5.2 Ser + Eventive subjects in locatives
- 6.The evidential reading of estar
- 7.Back to the gradability account
- 8.Conclusion
-
Notes -
References
Published online: 13 May 2020
https://doi.org/10.1075/ihll.26.07gar
https://doi.org/10.1075/ihll.26.07gar
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Cited by
Cited by 2 other publications
García-Pardo, Alfredo & Rafael Marín
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