Is isn't be

In this paper I provide evidence that the copula in English, which has both verbal (V) and Infl properties, should be analyzed as having dual categorial status. That is, there are two copulas in English: one is a verb (be), while the other is an Infl head and is not raised from a V position (is, am, etc.). Evidence for this split approach comes from an interpretive difference between the verbal (V) copula and the non-verbal (Infl) copula. The split approach to the English copula is further supported by similar splits found in the English dialects of African American English and child standard English, and in languages such as Irish and Hebrew. Microvariation between these languages in the V/Infl-copula split is discussed. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.