Skip to content Skip to navigation

The relationship between entity and space in English and Bulgarian existential sentences

TitleThe relationship between entity and space in English and Bulgarian existential sentences
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1993
AuthorsAlexieva, B
JournalСъпоставително езикознание / Сопоставительное языкознание / Contrastive linguistics
Volume18
Issue3–4
Pagination9–16
Publication Languageeng
KeywordsContrastive Studies; съпоставителни изследвания
Abstract

The nature of the relationship between Entity and Space is discussed along the parameters: (a) Internal / External Space and (b) Essentiality / Contingency of the „Entity / PART / : Space / WHOLE/“ relationship. It is argued that the value of these parameters determines some of the major differences between English and Bulgarian in the choice of an existential sentence (the there construction and the impersonal има) or of a personal construction (with have and the personal имам, respectively). Unlike English, the Bulgarian existential има construction is not the choice in the case of Internal Space and/or a more essential part : whole relationship, owing to the specificity of the verb, itself the result of a shift towards impersonality.

Citation KeyAlexieva1993
Subscribe to Syndicate