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Predicative expression
Predicative expression
Predicative expression
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A predicative expression (or just predicative) is part of a clause predicate, and is an expression that typically follows a copula or linking verb, e.g. be, seem, appear, or that appears as a second complement (object complement) of a certain type of verb, e.g. call, make, name, etc.[1] The most frequently acknowledged types of predicative expressions are predicative adjectives (also predicate adjectives) and predicative nominals (also predicate nominals). The main trait of all predicative expressions is that they serve to express a property that is assigned to a "subject", whereby this subject is usually the clause subject, but at times it can be the clause object.[2] A primary distinction is drawn between predicative (also predicate) and attributive expressions. Further, predicative expressions are typically not clause arguments, and they are also typically not clause adjuncts. There is hence a three-way distinction between predicative expressions, arguments, and adjuncts.

The terms predicative expression on the one hand, and subject complement and object complement on the other hand overlap in meaning to a large extent.

Examples

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The most widely acknowledged predicative expressions are adjectives and nominals:[3]

The idea was ridiculous. — Predicative adjective over the subject.
He seems nice. — Predicative adjective over the subject.
Bob is a postman. — Predicative nominal over the subject.
They were all happy campers. — Predicative nominal over the subject.
That shrimp dish made him sick. — Predicative adjective over the object.
We painted the door white. — Predicative adjective over the object.
They elected him president. — Predicative nominal over the object.
They called Jill a thief. — Predicative nominal over the object.

The formulations "over the subject" and "over the object" indicate that the predicative expression is expressing a property that is assigned to the subject or to the object.[4] For example, the predicative expression a thief in the last sentence serves to assign to Jill the property of being a thief. Predicative nominals over subjects are also called predicate nominatives, a term borrowed from Latin grammars and indicating the morphological case that such expressions bear (in Latin).

Further examples

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While the most widely acknowledged predicative expressions are adjectives and nominals, most syntactic categories can be construed as predicative expressions, e.g.

The snake is in the bag. — Predicative prepositional phrase.
That is when it happens. — Predicative clause.
It is soon. — Predicative adverb.

There are, however, certain categories that cannot appear as predicative expressions. Adverbs ending in -ly, for instance, cannot appear as predicative expressions, e.g.

*The event was splendidly. — Failed attempt to use an adverb ending in -ly as a predicative expression.
*Our ideas are insightfully. — Failed attempt to use an adverb ending in -ly as a predicative expression.

These examples raise the following fundamental question: What characteristic of words and phrases allows or prohibits them from appearing as predicative expressions? The answer to this question is not apparent.

Predicative adjectives vs. attributive adjectives

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Predicative expressions are not attributive expressions. The distinction is illustrated best using predicative and attributive adjectives:[5]

a. The man is friendly. — Predicative adjective.
b. the friendly man — Attributive adjective.
a. One snake was large. — Predicative adjective.
b. one large snake — Attributive adjective.
a. His bag is damp. — Predicative adjective.
b. his damp bag — Attributive adjective.

A given clause usually contains a single predicative expression (unless coordination is involved), but it can contain multiple attributive expressions, e.g. The friendly man found a large snake in his damp bag.

Predicative adjectives vs. postpositive adjectives

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Postpositive adjectives are attributive adjectives which modify the immediately preceding noun or pronoun to create a noun phrase. (A predicate adjective is frequently preceded by a linking verb.) Postpositive adjectives are rare in English, but common in many other languages.

a. Something is different. — Predicative adjective.
b. I want something different. — Postpositive adjective.
a. He is taller than you. — Predicative adjective.
b. I met a person taller than you — Postpositive adjective.

Predicatives vs. arguments and adjuncts

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Predicative expressions are typically not arguments, e.g.

a. She was our friend. — Predicative nominal.
b. She visited our friend. — Argument nominal.
a. That is an excuse. — Predicative nominal.
b. He produced an excuse. — Argument nominal.

The predicative expressions here are properties that are assigned to the subject, whereas the arguments cannot be construed as such properties. Predicative expressions are also typically not adjuncts, e.g.

a. The bag is under the bed. — Predicative prepositional phrase.
b. Something is moving under the bed. — Adjunct prepositional phrase.
a. The dispute was after the talk was completely over. — Predicative clause.
b. Everybody relaxed after the talk was completely over. — Adjunct clause.

The predicative expressions again serve to assign a property to the subject, e.g. the property of being under the bed. In contrast, the adjuncts serve to establish the situational context. One can hence acknowledge a three-way distinction between predicative expressions, arguments, and adjuncts. However, upon deeper examination, the lines between these categories become blurred and overlap can occur. For instance, in the sentence Bill arrived drunk, one can judge drunk to be both a predicative expression (because it serves to assign a property to Bill) and an adjunct (because it appears optionally in the sentence).

In other languages

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Predicative expressions exist in most if not all languages. In languages that have morphological case, predicative nominals typically appear in the nominative case (e.g., German and Russian) or instrumental case (e.g. Russian), although predicative expressions over objects generally bear the same case as the object. Some languages lack an equivalent of the copula be, and many languages omit the copula in some contexts or optionally (see Zero copula), which means that the case marker plays a greater role since it helps distinguish predicative nominals from argument nominals. Some languages (e.g., Tabasaran, Pacoh) have a separate predicative case.

See also

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Notes

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Predicative expression

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A predicative expression is a linguistic element within a clause's predicate that attributes a , state, relation, or identity to the subject, typically positioned after a copula or such as "be," "seem," or "become." These expressions are essential in copular constructions, where they complete the semantic and syntactic structure of the sentence by linking the subject to descriptive or identificational content. For instance, in the sentence "The leader seems confident," the "confident" functions as a predicative expression, denoting a temporary state of the subject. Predicative expressions can take various forms, including adjectives, noun phrases, prepositional phrases, or clauses, each serving distinct roles in and semantics. Predicative adjectives, like "happy" in "She is happy," describe inherent or temporary qualities and differ from attributive adjectives, which precede the noun they modify (e.g., "happy child"). Nominal predicatives, such as "a teacher" in "He is a teacher," often involve definite or indefinite noun phrases that specify class membership or identity, raising issues in and reference when using definite descriptions. In formal semantics, predicative expressions are analyzed as denoting properties or sets, forming predicates in logical representations that combine with subjects via predication relations to yield propositions. The study of predicative expressions intersects syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, influencing phenomena like subject-predicate agreement, small clause structures, and specificational copular sentences (e.g., "The culprit was John"). In cross-linguistic research, variations occur; for example, some languages allow predicative positions without overt copulas, while others mark them morphologically. Semantically, they contribute to truth-conditional meaning by specifying how subjects instantiate properties, and debates persist on whether they always require a linking verb or can appear in secondary predication (e.g., "We painted the wall red").

Definition and Syntax

Core Definition

A predicative expression is a non-verbal linguistic unit that forms part of or constitutes the entire predicate in a clause, ascribing a property, class, or state to a referent such as a subject or object. In subject-oriented constructions, it links to the subject via a copula, providing descriptive or classificatory information about the subject's attributes or identity. For object-oriented cases, it appears with complex transitive verbs, attributing qualities or roles to the direct object. Key components include copula verbs such as "be," "seem," or "become," which facilitate subject predicates by connecting the subject to the non-verbal element, often an or . In object predicates, verbs like "elect," "call," or "paint" introduce the predicative expression, which specifies a state or category for the object without a copula. These elements are typically non-verbal, encompassing adjectival, nominal, or other phrasal forms that express predication semantically. The term originates from and predicate logic, influenced by Aristotle's categories and subject-predicate structure in propositions, where a predicate affirms or denies attributes of a subject. This framework, developed in works like Categories and , laid the groundwork for modern linguistic analysis of predication as a relational concept between subjects and their ascribed properties. Basic clause structure for subject predicates follows the formula: Subject + Copula + Predicative, represented syntactically as NP + + AP/NP, where the predicative expression occupies a post-copular position.

Syntactic Positions

Predicative expressions most commonly appear in the primary syntactic position immediately following a copula or , such as be, seem, or become, within subject-predicate constructions that follow the basic S-V-P (subject--predicative) structure. In this arrangement, the predicative completes the by ascribing a or identity to the subject, relying on the finite to establish the predication relation; without such a verb, the expression cannot function independently as a predicate. A secondary position for predicative expressions occurs as object complements in clauses with complex transitive verbs, adhering to the S-V-O-P (subject-verb-object-predicative) structure, where the predicative modifies or identifies the direct object rather than the subject. This configuration can be formalized as V + NP + Predicative, with the (e.g., consider or elect) licensing the predicative's attachment to the object . Predicatives in this role maintain dependency on a , similar to the primary position, and cannot be passivized independently of the object. Word order variations affecting predicative positions arise from language-specific syntactic rules, particularly in non-declarative contexts like questions, where inversion may place the copula before the subject, as in the S-V-P inversion "Is the sky blue?" These variations preserve the predicative's post-verbal placement relative to its linked element (subject or object) while ensuring the 's overall . Across both positions, predicatives thus exhibit a consistent reliance on finite verbs to mediate their property-ascription role within the .

Types of Predicative Expressions

Adjectival Predicatives

Adjectival predicatives are adjectives that function predicatively, serving as subject or object complements following a to ascribe qualities or states to the . They typically appear in copular clauses, where they complete the predicate by providing descriptive information about the subject or object. Morphologically, adjectival predicatives in English do not require articles, determiners, or modifications in form that attributive adjectives often demand when directly modifying nouns; they occur in their base, invariant shape. Unlike some languages where they inflect for agreement in , number, or case with the subject, English adjectival predicatives remain uninflected and neutral. They frequently accept complements, such as prepositional phrases or infinitival clauses, to elaborate on the quality described, enhancing their descriptive capacity without altering their core adjectival status. Functionally, adjectival predicatives express either inherent or temporary properties, linking the subject to a state or condition via the copula to convey semantic relations like equality or attribution. This role positions them as central to the clause's predicative structure, often denoting gradable qualities that can be intensified or compared. Among common adjectival predicatives, stative forms denote relatively stable or inherent characteristics, while dynamic forms indicate change, process, or temporary conditions, reflecting a semantic distinction that influences their compatibility with aspectual modifiers. This stative-dynamic divide underscores their versatility in expressing diverse semantic nuances within predicative contexts.

Nominal Predicatives

Nominal predicatives consist of noun phrases or pronouns that function as predicates to specify roles, identities, or categories associated with the subject or object in a , typically linked by a copula . These constructions attribute a nominal or relation to the , distinguishing them from verbal predicates by their non-eventive or stative semantic contribution. In terms of structure, nominal predicatives frequently incorporate determiners that signal , with indefinite articles marking the introduction of new or general information (e.g., "a hero") and definite articles indicating uniquely identifiable or presupposed entities (e.g., "the leader"). This definiteness contrast affects semantic interpretation: indefinite forms often convey classification or attribution, while definite forms emphasize referential identity. In certain contexts, such as titles or institutional roles, bare nouns serve as predicatives without articles, allowing direct predication of status (e.g., "She is captain"). Like adjectival predicatives, nominal predicatives depend on the copula for syntactic integration and tense marking. Nominal predicatives exhibit distinct uses, including equative constructions that assert identity between the subject and predicate (e.g., "She is my sister"), where both elements are referential, and predicational uses that attribute a or category, often implying change or ascription (e.g., "He became manager"). Equative uses typically involve definite nominals on both sides of the copula, reinforcing co-reference, whereas predicational uses favor indefinite or bare forms to highlight property inclusion. In inflected languages, nominal predicatives demonstrate agreement with the subject in features such as case, number, and gender to ensure grammatical concord. For instance, in Russian, non-eventive predicatives take with matching number and gender (e.g., singular masculine agreement), while eventive forms may shift to ; similar patterns occur in Irish via prepositional for number. This agreement mechanism underscores the predicative's alignment with the subject's referential properties across languages.

Other Predicative Forms

Prepositional phrases function as predicative expressions in copular constructions, attributing locative or relational properties to the subject without introducing new arguments. For instance, in "The children are at home," the PP "at home" predicates a of the subject following the copula "are." Similarly, relational PPs like "She is dependent on her family" express abstract dependencies, integrating semantically with the copula to complete the clause's predicate. Huddleston and Pullum describe these as complements that denote spatial, temporal, or idiomatic relations, often fixed in position after the copula. Clausal predicatives involve embedded clauses that serve as complements to the copula, typically in specificational or predicational structures, where the clause provides essential content about the subject. An example is "The question is how we proceed," with the wh-clause "how we proceed" functioning predicatively to specify the subject's nature. Mikkelsen highlights that such constructions reverse typical subject-predicate hierarchies in specificational copulas, allowing the clause to bear the referential load while maintaining -level coherence. These forms are distinct from finite verbal predicates, as they embed propositional content directly into the copular frame. Adverbial predicatives, rarer in English than in other languages, occur with copulas to denote time, manner, or , often as single s or adverb phrases. In "The meeting is tomorrow," the "tomorrow" predicates a temporal of the subject, completing the copula's semantic role. Mikkelsen notes these as minor but valid copular complements, typically locationals like "here" or "abroad" in "They are abroad," which align with predicative syntax without verbal projection. Participles and gerunds represent non-finite forms, bridging verbal and /nominal categories in copular or semi-copular constructions. Past participles often predicate stative results, as in "The agreement seems signed," where "signed" denotes a completed state akin to an . Kibort analyzes such participles as category-neutral derivations from verbs, enabling predicative use after copulas like "be" or "seem" without full verbal agreement. Gerunds, functioning nominally with verbal internals, appear predicatively in phrases like "His passion is collecting stamps," where the gerundial NP predicates an activity identity. All predicative forms, including these, adhere to the constraint of saturating the copula's argument structure, providing a complete or relation for the subject without residual unsaturated positions. Semantically, they operate as functions that, via the copula, bind to the subject to yield a , as formalized in where the predicative abstracts over the subject's variable. Zimmermann emphasizes this saturation ensures compositional completeness, distinguishing valid predicatives from or incomplete phrases. While adjectival and nominal types dominate core cases, these forms underscore the structural diversity of copular complements in English.

Illustrative Examples

Subject-Oriented Examples

Subject-oriented predicative expressions link a predicate directly to the subject, typically through a copular verb such as be, to ascribe , roles, locations, or explanations to that subject. A basic adjectival example is "The cat is black," where the black functions as the predicative expression, attributing a color to the subject the cat. Similarly, nominal predicatives assign roles or identities, as in "She became a doctor," with a doctor specifying the subject's new professional role following the copula became. Prepositional predicatives indicate location or relation, such as "The files are on the desk," where the prepositional phrase on the desk describes the position of the subject the files relative to the copula are. Clausal predicatives provide explanatory content, exemplified by "His fear is that we'll fail," in which the that-clause that we'll fail elaborates on the nature of the subject his fear. These structures extend to variations like negation, as in "It isn't ready," where the predicative adjective ready is negated to deny the property of the subject it. In interrogative form, "Is she happy?" questions the adjectival predicative happy in relation to the subject she. Emphatic constructions emphasize the predicate, such as "The soup tastes delicious," highlighting the sensory property delicious ascribed to the soup.

Object-Oriented Examples

Object-oriented predicative expressions, also known as object complements or object predicatives, occur in constructions with complex transitive verbs, where the predicative element describes, renames, or ascribes a to the direct object following the verb. These structures differ from subject-oriented predicatives by linking the predicate to the object via the verb's action, often indicating a resulting state or judgment. Adjectival object predicatives frequently appear in resultative constructions, expressing a change of state induced by the verb's action on the object. For instance, in "We painted the wall ," the adjective "" predicates the resulting color of the direct object "wall," marking the endpoint of the painting event. This resultative use is common with verbs of creation or alteration, where the adjective denotes the final achieved. Nominal object predicatives rename or appoint the direct object to a new or status. A classic example is "They elected her president," where "president" serves as the nominal predicative, indicating the office to which "her" is appointed through the process. Such constructions are typical with verbs of naming or designation, emphasizing institutional or formal ascription. Prepositional object predicatives convey relational judgments or states about the object using a prepositional phrase. In "She considers him in the wrong," the phrase "in the wrong" predicates a or factual attributed to the object "him" by the subject's . This form often pairs with verbs of or to express abstract positioning. Complex object predicatives can involve adjectival or nominal elements in more elaborate ascriptive contexts, such as legal or perceptual judgments. For example, "The found the guilty" uses "guilty" as an adjectival predicative ascribing a to the object "defendant" based on the jury's . This structure highlights the verb's role in mediating the predication, akin to simpler adjectival cases but with added semantic weight. Variations in object-oriented predicatives often involve specific verb classes. Causative verbs like "make" or "render" trigger resultative or change-of-state predications, as in "They made the room tidy," where "tidy" describes the object's altered condition. Perception verbs such as "find" or "see," meanwhile, license ascriptive predications reflecting the perceiver's viewpoint, for example, "I saw the door open," predicating the object's state during observation. These patterns parallel subject-oriented examples in their predicative function but are distinctly mediated by the transitive verb and object.

Versus Attributive Adjectives

Predicative adjectives differ from attributive adjectives primarily in their syntactic positions and functions within a sentence. Predicative adjectives appear post-verbally, typically following a copular such as "be," "seem," or "appear," where they function as the main predicate asserting a about the subject, as in " is tall." In contrast, attributive adjectives occupy a pre-nominal position directly before the they modify, serving to qualify or restrict the noun's reference without requiring a copula, as in "tall man." This positional distinction underscores the predicative adjective's role in independent predication at the clause level, while the attributive integrates into the for direct modification. A key functional difference lies in how these adjectives interact with the elements they describe. Predicative adjectives link the subject to a property via the copula, enabling the expression of temporary or stage-level states, such as "The stars are visible tonight," which emphasizes current observability. Attributive adjectives, however, modify the noun more holistically, often implying a more permanent or characterizing quality, as in "visible stars," which may refer to stars that are generally observable due to brightness. This can lead to subtle semantic shifts depending on the position; for instance, "responsible" in the attributive position, as in "the responsible person," often means "in charge" or "duty-bound," whereas in the predicative position, as in "She is responsible," it conveys "accountable" or "reliable." Certain adjectives exhibit restrictions that prevent them from occurring in one position or the other, highlighting further contrasts. Adjectives like "main," "chief," and "principal" are typically restricted to attributive use, as in "main idea" or "chief executive," and cannot readily appear predicatively without awkwardness, such as the infelicitous "*The idea is main." Conversely, predicative-only adjectives such as "afraid," "asleep," and "aware" resist attributive placement, as in the ungrammatical "*an afraid child" or "*an asleep baby," but function naturally predicatively, like "The child is afraid" or "The baby is asleep." These restrictions often stem from semantic factors, with attributive-only adjectives tending toward non-gradable, identifying roles, while predicative-only ones denote subjective or temporary states. Syntactic tests further distinguish the two, particularly regarding the ability to take complements. Predicative adjectives frequently allow or require complements to complete their meaning, such as "aware of the danger" in "She is aware of the danger," where the prepositional phrase is essential. Attributive adjectives, however, do not permit such complements in their pre-nominal position, rendering constructions like "*an aware of the danger man" unacceptable. This complement-taking capacity reinforces the predicative adjective's predicate-like behavior, integrating it more closely with verbal elements in the clause.

Versus Postpositive Adjectives

Postpositive adjectives and predicative adjectives both occupy a post-nominal position in English syntax, yet they are fundamentally distinct in their structural requirements and semantic roles. Predicative adjectives must follow a copula verb, such as "be," to link them to the subject or object they describe, as in "It is something strange," where "strange" predicates a of "something." In contrast, postpositive adjectives directly modify the noun without an intervening , functioning as part of the itself, as in "something strange" where "strange" restricts or specifies the of "something." This positional overlap can lead to , but the absence of a copula is a key marker of postpositive use. Functionally, postpositive adjectives serve as direct modifiers within noun phrases, often appearing in fixed expressions or idiomatic phrases without ascribing an independent to the . For instance, in compounds like "," the postpositive "" is integral to the 's meaning and cannot stand alone with a copula in the same . Predicative adjectives, however, independently attribute a or state, allowing for predication outside the , such as in subject complements. This difference highlights postpositives' restrictive, phrase-bound role versus predicatives' broader, clause-level attribution. Postpositives are particularly common in formal or archaic contexts, such as legal terms ("") or with indefinite pronouns and quantifiers ("a problem serious"), though they are rarer in contemporary English compared to languages like French, where post-nominal placement is more normative. Linguists distinguish these categories through syntactic tests, including positional mobility and copula insertion. Postpositive adjectives resist fronting to pre-nominal position without semantic shift or ungrammaticality (e.g., *"Serious the problem is" is infelicitous for a postpositive reading), and inserting a copula often transforms the construction into a predicative one, altering its function (e.g., "The problem is serious" predicates independently rather than modifying directly). Predicatives, conversely, permit such operations more readily, as they are not bound to the . Historically, many English postpositives trace their origins to Latin and French influences, where post-nominal adjective placement was standard, entering English via loanwords and legal or poetic conventions during the period and persisting in fossilized forms. This legacy contributes to their limited distribution today, primarily in specialized registers like .

Versus Arguments and Adjuncts

Predicative expressions differ from core in that they do not receive theta-roles assigned by the and serve instead to attribute or identities via a copula, rather than completing the verb's valency. For instance, in the copular construction "She was ," the nominal phrase "" functions as a predicative expression linking a property to the subject, without being selected as an by the copula "be." In contrast, the identical phrase in "She visited " acts as a direct object of "visited," fulfilling a thematic role such as or theme. Unlike optional , which modify the by adding circumstantial details such as manner, time, or without being required for semantic completeness, predicative expressions saturate the copular predicate and are obligatory for forming a well-formed predication. The adjectival "happy" in "He is happy" exemplifies a predicative that completes the attribution of a state to the subject, rendering the incomplete if omitted, whereas the "happily" in "He smiled happily" is a manner adjunct that can be deleted ("He smiled") without grammatical or semantic deficiency. Syntactic tests further highlight these distinctions. Predicative expressions are strictly positioned after the copula in declarative clauses and resist repositioning, while arguments occupy fixed slots determined by the verb's and permit greater positional variation, such as adverbial fronting. The do-so substitution test reveals that complements like predicatives must be incorporated into the elliptical form (e.g., "She is , and so is he"), whereas allow exclusion (e.g., "She smiled happily, and he did so too"). In question formation, copular inversion directly involves the predicative ("Is she happy?"), but maintain auxiliary without integration ("Did she smile happily?"). Obligatoriness tests confirm that predicatives are indispensable in copular clauses for predicate saturation, unlike that provide non-essential elaboration. Edge cases arise with resultative constructions resembling predicatives, such as "They ran the track dry," where "dry" functions as a secondary predicate attributing a resulting state to the object, integral to structure rather than an optional adjunct, though distinct from primary predicative expressions in copular clauses as it lacks a copula and is bound to the main . In object-oriented contexts, such resultatives may mimic object complements but remain non-arguments of the main verb.

Theoretical and Semantic Aspects

Generative Grammar Approaches

In Chomskyan syntax, predicative expressions are often analyzed as constituents within small clauses, which are tenseless structures consisting of a subject and a non-verbal predicate, such as in constructions like John considers Mary intelligent, where Mary intelligent forms a small clause complement to the verb. These small clauses are embedded under verbs like make or consider, as exemplified by the structure [VP make [SC him [AP happy]]], where the adjective phrase happy serves as the predicate assigning a property to the subject him within the small clause. This analysis accounts for the predicative relation without requiring tense or agreement projections typical of full clauses, treating the small clause as a propositional unit selected by the matrix verb. Within the , predicative expressions are formalized through predication relations mediated by functional heads, particularly the projection of PredP, which establishes the link between a subject and its predicate for assignment. The Pred head in PredP ensures that the predicate XP (e.g., an AP or NP) is interpreted as denoting a of the subject in its specifier position, adhering to minimalist economy principles by merging only necessary functional structure. This approach refines earlier small clause analyses by integrating predication into the broader phrase structure, where PredP may embed within VP or other domains to the predicative interpretation. Regarding theta-theory, predicative expressions themselves assign no theta-roles, as they denote properties rather than event participants; instead, the predication relation is established syntactically through co-indexing between the subject (or object) and the predicate, complementary to theta-criterion constraints on arguments. This co-indexing, often via a predicate-linking rule, ensures that non-argument predicates like adjectives link to their associated nominal without theta-role assignment from the predicate to the subject. Object complements involving predicatives are treated as reduced clauses in generative analyses, where raising or lowering operations may apply to relate the object to the predicate, as discussed in examples from and verbs. For instance, in We elected John president, the NP president functions as a predicative complement in a reduced small structure, with the object John raising to satisfy case and agreement requirements. Recent developments in phase-based approaches, emerging post-2000, integrate predicatives into vP domains, where small clauses or PredP projections are treated as phases or sub-phases within the verbal shell to facilitate feature inheritance and spell-out. This allows for successive-cyclic movement out of predicative structures while maintaining locality constraints, as seen in analyses of constructions where the vP phase head licenses the embedding of predicative complements.

Semantic Properties

Predicative expressions denote properties of entities, typically analyzed in formal semantics as predicates of semantic type ⟨e,t⟩\langle e, t \rangle, where ee represents individuals and tt truth values. In copular constructions, such as "The hat is tall," the predicative adjective "tall" contributes a property-denoting function λx.tall(x)\lambda x . \text{tall}(x), which the copula applies to the subject to yield a truth value. This predication relation establishes that the subject satisfies the property, ensuring compositional interpretation where the copula functions to saturate the argument position of the predicate. Nominal predicatives introduce a distinction between equative and ascriptive (or predicational) interpretations. In equative copular sentences, such as " is Tully," the construction expresses identity between two referents, semantically analyzing the copula as an λxλy[y=x]\lambda x \lambda y [y = x] rather than property attribution. By contrast, ascriptive uses, like "He is a farmer," convey class inclusion, where the predicative nominal denotes a λx.farmer(x)\lambda x . \text{farmer}(x) that the subject instantiates, without implying . This semantic asymmetry highlights how nominal predicatives can shift between referential and predicative roles depending on context. Aspectual effects in predicative constructions differentiate stative from eventive interpretations. Stative predicatives, such as "metal" in "The element is metal," describe enduring without implying change, aligning with atelic, non-dynamic semantics typical of adjectives. Eventive predicatives, like "angry" in "She got angry," introduce a change-of-state component, often requiring aspectual markers or copulas like "become" to denote transition, thus incorporating or processual elements. These effects influence temporal structure, with statives compatible with for ongoing states and eventives favoring or perfective aspects for completion. Definite predicative nominals carry presuppositions of within a relevant domain. For instance, "the president" in "She is the president" presupposes a unique satisfier of the descriptive content in , ensuring determined without asserting . This weak presupposition distinguishes predicative definites from referential ones, as it applies even when the nominal functions attributively, projecting as backgrounded information. In Montague-style formal semantics, copular predication achieves compositionality through type-shifting operations on the predicate. The copula raises a property-denoting expression of type ⟨e,t⟩\langle e, t \rangle to a higher functional type, such as ⟨⟨e,t⟩,t⟩\langle \langle e, t \rangle, t \rangle, allowing it to combine with the subject via , as in the derivation for "John is crazy": the denotes λx.crazy(x)\lambda x . \text{crazy}(x), and the copula composes it to λx[crazy(x)]\lambda x [\text{crazy}(x)]. This mechanism ensures that predicative structures integrate seamlessly into broader sentential semantics without violating type constraints.

Cross-Linguistic Variation

In

In Indo-European languages, predicative expressions typically link a subject to a non-verbal predicate—such as an , , or —via a copula , with case marking frequently aligning in the nominative to indicate subject-predicate agreement. This conveys properties, identities, or roles, though variations exist across branches like Germanic, Slavic, Romance, and Hellenic in terms of copula presence, case usage, and positioning. English serves as a baseline for , requiring the copula "be" in all tenses for predicative constructions, where both the subject and predicate nominal or adjectival elements remain in the without additional marking. For example, " is wise" uses the copula to predicate a of the subject. German mirrors this closely, employing the copula "sein" ("to be") while keeping predicative nouns in the nominative and adjectives uninflected for case, , or number in this position. Thus, "Er ist Lehrer" ("He is a teacher") features the nominative "Lehrer" as the predicate, with no endings on adjectives like "glücklich" in "Er ist glücklich" ("He is happy"). Slavic languages like Russian exhibit tense-based variation: the copula is omitted in the , with adjectival predicates taking short forms that agree in and number with the nominative subject (e.g., "On schastliv" for "He is happy"), and nominal predicates also in the nominative (e.g., "On " for "He is a student"). In the and , however, a copula like "byl" ("was") appears, shifting nominal predicates to the to denote a temporary or role, as in "On byl uchitelem" ("He was a teacher"). This instrumental usage underscores contingency or capacity in the predicate's relation to the subject. Romance languages such as French use the copula "être" ("to be") consistently, with predicative adjectives placed postpositively after the verb for emphasis or default positioning. An illustrative case is "Il est " ("He is tall"), where "grand" follows "être" and agrees in and number with the subject. Predicational copular sentences like "Léon est content" ("Léon is happy") rely solely on "être," while non-predicational types (e.g., identity statements) may insert "ce" for disambiguation, as in "C'est Léon." Historical case variations appear in Hellenic languages like , where predicative constructions sometimes employed oblique cases beyond the nominative, particularly the dative for existential or predicates. For instance, in 3.41.1, "ἦν οἱ σφραγίς" uses the dative to express "he had a seal," framing the predicate as an existential-presentative property. Genitive predicates also occurred in copular-like structures to indicate inherent possession, as in examples from denoting territorial belonging.

In Non-Indo-European Languages

In , an , predicative expressions involving often occur without a copula, relying on a topic-comment structure where the subject functions as the topic and the as the comment. For instance, the sentence Tā hěn gāo ("He [is] very tall") omits the copula shì, which is optional in affirmative declarative contexts but required under or in certain emphatic constructions. This verbless pattern highlights the language's tolerance for in equative and ascriptive predication. Japanese, a Japonic with agglutinative features, employs the copula desu (polite form of da) to link subjects to nominal or na-adjective predicates in sentence-final position, reflecting its SOV . An example is Watashi wa gakusei desu ("I [am] a "), where desu asserts identity or attribution without additional verbal on the predicate. This copula is essential for forming complete declarative predicates with non-verbal elements, though it can be omitted in informal speech. Turkish, an agglutinative Turkic language, features in present-tense predicative constructions with nominals, where the predicate instead incorporates suffixes to agree with the subject in and number. For example, Ben öğretmenim ("I [am] a ") uses the -im on öğretmen ("teacher") to mark first-person agreement, integrating predication and concord morphologically without an overt . This system contrasts with past-tense forms, which insert the copula idi. In Pacoh, a Mon-Khmer Austroasiatic language, nominals functioning as predicates are marked by a dedicated predicative case, which governs noun-to-noun dependencies and distinguishes predicative roles from other syntactic relations. This case aligns with the language's head-marking typology, where relator nouns and prepositions further specify relational predication. Tabasaran, a Lezgic Nakh-Dagestanian language, utilizes a rich case system (up to 46 cases, mostly spatial) alongside copulas like vu for predicative expressions, where nominal predicates often appear in the absolutive or with copular support rather than a distinct predicative case marker. For example, uzu yitim bay vu-za ("I [am] an orphan") employs the identity copula vu to link the subject to the nominal predicate yitim bay ("orphan"). Adjectives in predicative position may inflect for gender/number or take adverbial suffixes like -di. Arabic, a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic family, features verbless clauses in predicative structures; here, no copula is used, and the predicate follows the subject in apposition, with agreement in definiteness and case (nominative for both), as in "al-kitāb-u kabīr-un" ("The book is big"). This results in compact, nonverbal predication typical of Semitic languages. Typologically, copula-less systems predominate in many non-Indo-European languages, especially isolating (e.g., Mandarin) and agglutinative (e.g., Turkish) types, allowing direct of subject and predicate or morphological fusion for equative and ascriptive functions. Serial verb constructions, common in Austroasiatic and Niger-Congo languages, provide an alternative mechanism for expressing complex predication without dedicated copulas, chaining s to convey attribution or possession as a single predicate.

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