Copula (linguistics) - Additional Copulas

Additional Copulas

Sometimes the term copula is taken to include not only a language's equivalent(s) to the verb be, but also other verbs or forms which serve to link a subject to a predicative expression (while adding semantic content of their own). For example, English verbs such as become, get, feel, look and seem can have this function, as in the following sentences (where the predicative expression – the complement of the verb – is in italics):

She became a student.

They look tired.

(This usage should be distinguished from the use of some of these verbs as "action" verbs, as in They look at the wall, where look denotes an action and cannot be replaced by the basic copula are.)

Some verbs have rarer, secondary uses as copular verbs, such as the verb fall in sentences like The zebra fell victim to the lion.

These extra copulas are sometimes called "semi-copulas" or "pseudo-copulas". For a list of common verbs of this type in English, see List of English copulae.