Kopulaverbin

Kopulaverbin is a term used in linguistics to describe a class of verbs that function as copulas, or linking verbs, connecting a subject to a predicative complement. The word is a portmanteau from kopula (copula) and verbin (verb) and appears mainly in theoretical discussions and conlang literature rather than as a widely established category in descriptive linguistics.

In kopulaverbin systems, the copular meaning is realized as a finite verb form rather than as a separate particle or a distinct auxiliary. The copula form may carry tense, aspect, mood, person, or number, and may show agreement with the subject or with the predicate. This contrasts with languages that use a separate word equivalent to “to be” or rely on an adjective or noun alone to express predication.

Typology of kopulaverbin constructions varies. Some languages inflect a dedicated copular verb that merges with the main verb, while others express copular meaning through the morphology of the predicative adjective or noun. In certain analyses, the copula is viewed as the syntactic head of the predicate, rather than as an independent lexical item.

Use and debates: The concept is debated among linguists as a way to classify copular systems, particularly in languages with sparse or no overt copula or in discussions of serial verb constructions and predicative adjectives. Proposals about kopulaverbin aim to unify how predication is analyzed across languages with differing morphosyntactic strategies for linking subjects with their complements.

See also: Copula (linguistics), Linking verb, Predicate, Finite verb.