A note on repetition in Spanish:

volver a + VInf, re-prefixation, and adverbs of repetition

 

Brenda Laca

 

Abstract

In this paper, we describe the semantics of a Spanish verbal periphrasis which triggers a presupposition of repetition, and we contrast it with adverbs of repetition, and with prefixation. The main difficulty in the semantic analysis of such presupposition triggers is that of formulating their minimal presupposition. In the case of the periphrasis, Ramchand's first-phase syntax templates are shown to be better predictors of this minimal presupposition than analyses relying on less fine-grained structures for the VP.

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Keywords: presupposition • repetitive and restitutive readings • states • events • VP-structure

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