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From Verbal Periphrases to Complex Predicates
Edited by Mar Garachana Camarero, Sandra Montserrat Buendia and Claus Dieter Pusch
[IVITRA Research in Linguistics and Literature 31] 2022
► pp. 211–233

A contrastive study of the degree of grammaticalization of verbal periphrases in Catalan, Spanish and Romanian

ORCID logo | Autonomous University of Barcelona
ORCID logo | University of Lleida
ORCID logo | University of Lleida

The aim of this study is to compare verbal periphrases (VPs) between three Romance languages (Spanish, Catalan and Romanian) and establish the degree of grammaticalization of these linguistic elements in each language. From the analysis of the data, we can assert that the degree of grammaticalization shown by the auxiliaries of a periphrastic complex in Catalan and Spanish is higher than that shown in Romanian. To measure the degree of grammaticalization of auxiliaries, we applied seven syntactic tests related to the two main parameters associated with this process: decategorization and cohesion (Heine and Kuteva 2002, 2007). We also established the signs of grammaticalization that are more consolidated in each language, highlighting similarities and differences. On the other hand, Romanian is the language with the lowest number of VPs.

Keywords: verbal periphrasis, grammaticalization, Spanish, Catalan, Romanian
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Theoretical framework
  • 3.Inventory and characterization of VPs
    • 3.1Formal criteria to identify a VP
    • 3.2Semantic criteria to identify VPs
  • 4.Test of grammaticalization
    • 4.1Decategorization
      • a.Commutation
      • b.Passive
      • c.Impersonal verbs
      • d.Selection of arguments
    • 4.2Cohesion
      • a.Interrogative test
      • b.Omission of the V2
      • c.Insertion of elements between V1 and V2
  • 5.Results and discussion
    • 5.1Degree of grammaticalization of auxiliaries
    • 5.2Analysis of criteria
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 1 December 2022
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ivitra.31.11fer
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