Verbal Periphrases in a Functional Grammar of Spanish

Contains a description of all the different types of verbal periphrases used in modern peninsular Spanish. Defining periphrases as "productive verbal constructions with a partially grammaticized finite verb," the study strives to account for the partly lexical and partly grammatical status of periphrases within the theoretical framework of Functional Grammar--which views language as a tool for verbal communication rather than as an autonomous system. The study finds that, for certain complexities of periphrase usage, Functional Grammar needs to be adapted. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR