On the locative reading of dimensional adjectives and the internal syntax of "estar"

• Antonio Fábregas ^[1]
  1. [1] University of Tromsø
• Localización: Studies in Hispanic and Lusophone linguistics, ISSN-e 2199-3386, ISSN 1939-0238, Vol. 7, Nº. 1, 2014, págs. 3-41
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • In this article, we analyze a previously undescribed copulative construction with estar: one where the predicate, a dimensional adjective, denotes properties of the location occupied by the clause subject, as in La bandera está alta ‘The flag is placed in a high position.’ We show that this construction provides direct evidence for the analysis of estar as a morphophonological exponent that lexicalizes a copulative verb and a preposition, as proposed in Uriagereka (2001) and Gallego & Uriagereka (2009). We also show that the structure required to account for the locative reading of dimensional adjectives can be used to characterize the other readings where estar, as a copulative verb, is involved.