There are existential constructions and existential constructions: Presumption-invoking existentials in English

• Autores: William McGregor
• Localización: Folia lingüística: Acta Societatis Linguisticae Europaeae, ISSN-e 1614-7308, ISSN 0165-4004, Vol. 47, Nº 1, 2013, págs. 139-182
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • The article investigates an unusual and poorly studied class of existential-like expressions in English, exemplified in the title. It is contended that these expressions represent a distinct grammatical sign or construction, with a distinct semantic meaning of its own that is not derivable from the meaning of the plain existential. The formal and semantic properties of this sign are examined and specified; it is suggested that the sign is not entirely arbitrary, but shows recurrent and non-random associations between its formal properties and its meanings. To fully understand it, the construction must be situated within the grammar of English; to this end, it is compared and contrasted with other constructions it enters into paradigmatic relations with. The investigation is based largely on instances garnered from language use, including literature, conversation, and electronic corpora. The investigation is framed within a usage-based grammar that presumes the importance of constant and mutual interaction between linguistic description and theory, and the theoretical importance of the rare and unusual.