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Nonverbal Predication in Amazonian Languages
Edited by Simon E. Overall, Rosa Vallejos and Spike Gildea
[Typological Studies in Language 122] 2018
► pp. 317–338

Chapter 12
Constructions with has(a) in Wampis

| Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú | Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas

This paper analyzes the development of a copular element has(a) ‘become’ in Wampis. Has(a) can occur as a fully inflected verb or as an invariant copula particle. Based on comparative evidence, it is argued that this morpheme has arisen from the phonetic reduction of a posture verb stem meaning ‘stand’, likely through the use of this verb in locative and existential predicates. The form and semantics of has(a), as well as its use in different constructions associated with it are further analyzed taking into account both structural and functional characteristics. Has(a) is used for expressing the functions of proper inclusion and attribution, as well as for temporal and locative predicates. Has(a) can also serve to express translation and change in physical location, drawing on syntactic structures typically associated with verbs of movement in the language. The latter is an interesting development given the stative historical source of has(a).

Keywords: Wampis, copular constructions, grammaticalization, posture verbs, semantic expansion
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Brief background of the Wampis language
  • 3.Copular constructions in Wampis
  • 4.The verb has(a) in Wampis
  • 5.On the diachrony of has(a) ‘become’
  • 6.The form and meaning of has(a) in Wampis
    • 6.1 has(a) as a verb
    • 6.2Particularities and restrictions of has(a)
  • 7. Has as a particle: NP/ADJP has V
  • 8.Further developments of has
    • 8.1The construction NP NP/AdjP has
    • 8.2Temporal and locational uses of has
  • 9.Conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
Published online: 21 August 2018
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/tsl.122.12pen
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