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When 'stay' and 'become' are the same verb

The case of 'ficar'

Bibliographic Data

ID19513528
AuthorsCristina Schmitt (Michigan State University, corresponding author)
Year1999
Volume14
Pages227-255
Publication date1999-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueZAS Papers in Linguistics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1435-9588 • E-ISSN: 1435-9588
PublisherUniversity Library J. C. Senckenberg (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.21248/zaspil.14.1999.17
OpenAlexW2161396785
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited3

In this paper I investigate the properties of the copula-like verb 'ficar' in Brazilian Portuguese using Pustejovsky's generative lexicon (GL). The verb 'ficar' can be translated as 'stay' or 'become', depending on its complement. With locatives, only the STAY reading is possible. With adjectival complements, both BECOME and STAY readings are possible. I propose that 'ficar' takes an eventuality as its complement and I argue that there is no need to create multiple lexical entries for it, since the readings are the result of the possible combinations between the transition denoted by 'ficar' and the properties of the stative complements. I argue that the BECOME reading with adjectival predicates is the result of combining part of the qualia of the adjectival predicate with the TRANSITION of 'ficar'. The STAY readings of 'ficar'+adjective are the result of shadowing the transition. In the case of 'ficar'+locative, the BECOME reading is unavailable. Departing from the hypothesis that subevents have to be linked to arguments in order to be able to be modified by certain types of modifiers or be selected by certain types of heads, I argue that the transition, in the case of locative complements, is not associated to any argument because nothing in the qualia of the locative complement is compatible with a transition, given that there is not motion component in either 'ficar' or the locative. Unlinked to any argument, the TRANSITION can only be part of the 'constant' meaning of the verb, which explains why it is not available for modification

Adjective · Epistemology · Lexicon · Linguistics · Locative case · Noun · Qualia · Verb · Computer Science · Linguistics and Discourse Analysis · Linguistics and Language Studies · Mathematics · Philosophy · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation

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Unique citing works2
Citations per year0.08
Citation span2000 - 2023 (24)
Citation velocityhistorical
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 2

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