Predicative Noun Phrases (Feature 73)

From Apics

Feature Annotation

This feature is about the presence or absence of a copula in clauses with predicative noun phrases with class-inclusion function: We ask how a situation like English Mary is a singer is expressed in the different languages, where the predicative noun phrase is indefinite and non-referential. (Note that we are disregarding predicative noun phrases with identification function as in English My sister is the woman next to the singer, where the predicative noun phrase is definite and referential.)
A copula is defined as any overt element that obligatorily occurs in such clauses apart from the subject and the predicative noun phrase (and that is not obligatory in verbal clauses). The copula need not be a verb. Thus, “resumptive pronouns” (as in Hebrew David hu student [David he student] ‘David is a student’) are also considered as copulas. However, the Seychelles Creole “predicate marker” i (as in David i etidyan [David pm student] ‘David is a student’) is not, because it is also obligatory in verbal clauses (David i vini ‘David comes’).
In many languages, the use of a copula is obligatory and invariant (value 1).
Where copula use is variable, it most often depends on tense: In the present tense, no copula is ised, while in other tenses, a copula must be used (e.g. Russian, Arabic). Note that for this feature, only present-tense clauses should be taken into account.
In other languages, a copula is never used (value 2). Since we disregard tense forms other than present tense, Russian and Arabic fall into this type.
Finally, in some languages the use of a copula is optional and/or variable: It occurs under certain conditions (other than tense), but not under others (value 3). If you choose this value, it would be nice if you could specify the conditions (to the extent they are known) in the “General comments” field.

Additional remarks

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Values

Value		Value Annotation
1	Predicative noun phrases must occur with a copula	São Tomense Ê sa dôtôlô. [he cop doctor] ‘He is a doctor’; Haitian Creole se: Mari se te on mis nan on dipansè an pwovens ‘Marie was a nurse in a dispensaire in the province’
2	Predicative noun phrases cannot occur with a copula	Juba Arabic Ána kátib. [1sg salesclerk] ‘I am a salesclerk.’
3	Predicative noun phrases can occur with or without a copula	Copula occurrence is variable depending on factors such as person, negation, TMA particles, main/subordinate clauses etc. Kinubi umun de Nubi / umun Nubi ‘They are Nubi.’

WALS No.

120 (Total)