Syntactic and Semantic Variation in Copular Sentences
Insights from Classical Hebrew
| University of the Free State
This book presents a novel account of syntactic and semantic variation in copular and existential sentences in Classical Hebrew. Like many languages, the system of Classical Hebrew copular sentences is quite complex, containing zero, pronominal, and verbal forms as well as eventive and inchoative semantics. Approaching this subject from the framework of Distributed Morphology provides an elegant and comprehensive explanation for both the syntactic and semantic variation in these sentences. This book also presents a theoretical model for analyzing copular sentences in other languages included related phenomena– such as pseudo-copulas. It is also a demonstration of what can be gained by applying modern linguistic analyses to dead languages. Citing and building off previous studies on this topic, this book will be of interest to those interested in the theoretical examination of copular and existential sentences and to those interested in Classical Hebrew more specifically.
[Linguistik Aktuell/Linguistics Today, 261] 2020. xvi, 159 pp.
Publishing status: Available
© John Benjamins
Table of Contents
Abbreviations
|
vii–ix
|
A note on Hebrew transcription
|
xi
|
Acknowledgements
|
xiii
|
Preface
|
xv–xvi
|
Syntactic and semantic variation in copular sentences: Insights from Classical Hebrew
|
1–146
|
Chapter 1. Introduction
|
3–10
|
Chapter 2. Non-verbal predication in cross-linguistic and theoretical perspective
|
11–37
|
Chapter 3. Non-verbal predication in Classical Hebrew
|
39–56
|
Chapter 4. A theory of syntactic and semantic variation in copular sentences with insights from the system of Classical Hebrew
|
57–93
|
Chapter 5. The copula in the left-periphery
|
95–107
|
Chapter 6. Existentials in Classical Hebrew
|
109–142
|
Chapter 7. Conclusions and a way forward for analyzing copular and existential sentences
|
143–146
|
References
|
147–157
|
Index
|
159
|
References
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Cited by other publications
Abraham, Werner
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Subjects
BIC Subject: CFK – Grammar, syntax
BISAC Subject: LAN009060 – LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Linguistics / Syntax