Abstract

In this study we propose a characterization of the construction estar + present participle, one of the most productive Spanish verbal periphrases. After criticizing both the idea that this construction is a prototypical instance of imperfective aspect and that it communicates a more extensive duration of the state of affairs than other grammatical forms, we propose that estar + present participle codifies the progressive phasal aspect of a dynamic state of affairs -i.e. en event-, which prompts a token reading. From a functional grammar standpoint, as proposed by Dik (1997), this verbal periphrasis is a predicative operator ?1 which works upon the nuclear predicate by denoting its internal dynamics. © 2011 Universidad de Concepción. Facultad de Humanidades y Arte.