Word order in copular constructions (Hungarian)

PredCop: The copula follows the nonverbal predicate.


(1) én nyelvész vagy-ok.

I linguist cop-prs.1sg

‘I’m a linguist.’


(2) én fáradt vagy-ok.

I tired cop-prs.1sg

‘I’m tired.’


(3) én otthon vagy-ok.

I home cop-prs.1sg

‘I’m at home.’


In the Hungarian neutral sentence, the copula next to nominal (1), adjectival (2), and adverbial (3) predicates appears at the end of the sentence (cf. Kenesei et al. 1998: 58‒64, Lengyel 2000b).

Author: 

Nikolett F. Gulyás