Main questions in the study of copulas

Abstract

This chapter identifies the main empirical facts that a grammar of copulas should capture (their categorical nature, the different constructions they are part of) and examines how the theoretical analyses existing to date and those advanced in this volume fare with respect to them. It is shown that copulas, given their frontier-like categorical nature and uttermost diversity in forms and behavior across languages and structures, are a privileged ground to explore essential theoretical issues of the functional domain of language. The wealth of new data from unrelated languages brought to light in this volume enables the elicitation of unknown descriptions, proving previous accounts insufficient. Likewise, this compilation allows the reader to appraise theoretical analyses of formal mechanisms that affect language in general (e.g. agreement), exceeding the scope of copulas themselves.