존재사 ЕСТЬ의 통사적 지위

This paper is concerned with syntactic status of existential predicate есть. Generally, есть is regarded as a form of 3rd person singular in present tense of existential verb быть. However, есть does not have a syntactic status as an independent verb. First of all, есть does not agree with its sentential subject in number. Second, есть can't take adverbs. Third, it is not used in locative sentences. Finally, unlike other existential verbs, a subject of есть can't be marked nominative in sentence negation. Moreover, in certain cases the usage of есть induces to ungrammatical sentences. These syntactic and semantic characteristics show that ecru does not have the status of a verb. In this study, I propose that ecru is not a base-generated lexical verb, but a inserted word. The existential sentences take Theme(NP) and Location(PP) arguments. Есть is inserted into a non-verbal structure through a head-adjunction. Есть-insertion must happen under the specific semantic condition; semantic or pragmatic partitivity. This analysis helps to explain the surface irregularity and semantic characteristics of есть.