The grammaticalization of BE perfects and beyond: case studies in Lithuanian, Bulgarian and Barese

LTThis thesis addresses the question of what common features, visible in synchronic data, characterize the diachronic development of three BE (or quasi-BE) perfects in Lithuanian, Bulgarian, and Barese, and how their grammaticalization cline might differ from that of HAVE perfects. The study is based on data from Facebook comments for Lithuanian and Bulgarian, and from written texts in the Barese vernacular. The thesis includes detailed descriptions of the full spectrum of semantic values associated with the Lithuanian, Bulgarian, and Barese perfects, as they are used in the data, along with a comparative analysis of the three case studies. The outcome of the study is a proposed grammaticalization cline for BE perfects, which is based on conceptual connections between different values, and supported by quantitative data on the BE auxiliary usage. Reikšminiai žodžiai: perfektas, pagalbiniai veiksmažodžiai, gramatinimas, BŪTI perfektai.

ENThis thesis addresses the question of what common features, visible in synchronic data, characterize the diachronic development of three BE (or quasi-BE) perfects in Lithuanian, Bulgarian, and Barese, and how their grammaticalization cline might differ from that of HAVE perfects. The study is based on data from Facebook comments for Lithuanian and Bulgarian, and from written texts in the Barese vernacular. The thesis includes detailed descriptions of the full spectrum of semantic values associated with the Lithuanian, Bulgarian, and Barese perfects, as they are used in the data, along with a comparative analysis of the three case studies. The outcome of the study is a proposed grammaticalization cline for BE perfects, which is based on conceptual connections between different values, and supported by quantitative data on the BE auxiliary usage. Keywords: perfect, auxiliaries, grammaticalization, BE perfects.