Selected Papers from the Fourteenth International ... - STIBA Malang

24 Peter Petré & Hubert Cuyckens
(A)–(G), whereby (C)–(G) are the ‘real’ copula-constructions ((H) constitutes a
residual category, containing all marginal constructions, copular as well as noncopular).
An elaborate definition of the notion ‘copula’ and the various types of
copula-construction, as exemplified in (C)–(G), will be given in section 2.
(A) Intransitive construction (no copularizing function; meaning: ‘arise,
happen, occur’)
( ) Sona wearð micel eorðbyfung. (c 075. ChrodR : 4.2 )
“Immediately a great earthquake occurred.”
(B) Construction with dative object (no copularizing function; ‘happen to, occur to’)
(2) Hu mihte æfre englum mara gefea & geofu & blis geweorþan, oþþe mannum
mara weorðmynd þonne him on þyssum dæge gewearþ?
(c 000. HomS 46 [BlHom ]: 23. 27)
“How could ever befall the angels more joy and liberality and merriment, or
more glory to men, than to him on this day happened?”
(C) Copula + prepositional phrase (pp) construction (assignment of location/class
to a subject; ‘come to, turn into’)
(3) a. Hit wyrð on berne þæt to ðam belimpað.
“It goes into the barn, that which belongs to them.”
(c 00. LawGer:3. )
b. Gif þu sie Godes sunu, cweþ þæt þa stanas to hlafum geweorþan.
(c 000. HomS 0 [BlHom 3]:27.4)
“If you are God’s son, say that the stones turn into breads.”
(D) Copula + adjectival phrase (ap) construction (assignment of property to a subject;
‘get, become’)
(4) For þinum wundrum forhte weorðað.
“For your miracles they get afraid.”
(c970. MetPs 64:8)
(E) Copula + noun phrase (np) construction (assignment of a class to a subject)
(5) Ond binnan III gearum heo wearð þæs minstres abbud.
(c 025. Mart [Herzfeld-Kotzor]:De25, C. 5)
“And within three years she became abbess of that nunnery.”
(F) Perfect participle construction (i.e., Copula + participle (pple) of intransitive
verb; assignment of a resulting state to a subject)
(6) Se hreofla, þe hym ær lange on wæs, wearð þa sona nyðer afeallen.
(c 075. VSal [Cross]:33.7)
“The leprosy, which formerly had been long on him, had then immediately
fallen off [lit. down].”
(G) Passive participle construction (i.e., Copula + participle (pple) of transitive
verb; assignment of a resulting state to a subject)
(7) Þa feoll an of his handum, þæt hit wearð tobrocen & tostrægd on unarimedlice
styccu. (c 075. GregD [C]:7.49.20- )
“Then one [glass lantern] had fallen from his hands, so that it got broken and
scattered in innumerable pieces.”