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New Perspectives on the Study of Ser and Estar
Edited by Isabel Pérez-Jiménez, Manuel Leonetti and Silvia Gumiel-Molina
[Issues in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics 5] 2015
► pp. 173–202

What do Spanish copulas have in common with Tibetan evidentials?

The Spanish copula estar ‘be.stage-level’ has both well-known aspectual restrictions and evidential uses. Tibetan evidential ‘dug also shows similar aspectual constraints. Both features are derived from assuming that the relevant property in both cases is the gradability of the predicate, which establishes a comparison class within-individuals (yielding estar ‘be.stage-level’) or between-individuals (yielding ser ‘be.individual-level’). A between-individual comparison class is anchored by the nature of the comparison, whereas a within-individual comparison class must be contextually located. This location requirement results in the possibility of having evidential readings.

Keywords: ‘dug, comparison class, estar, evidentiality, gradability, individual-level, ser, stage-level
Published online: 28 October 2015
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https://doi.org/10.1075/ihll.5.07cam
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