copula

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In one episode the shirtless tribal leader Khal Drogo delivered a monologue for two and a half minutes in Dothraki, with its subject-verb-object structure and no copula, or linking verb.

From New York Times • Dec. 11, 2011

It is apt to be supposed that the copula is something more than a mere sign of predication; that it also signifies existence.

From A System Of Logic, Ratiocinative And Inductive by Mill, John Stuart

When this takes place, and any question arises as to the construction, they must be exhibited in their fully expanded form, i.e., the second subject, the second predicate, and the second copula must be supplied.

From A Handbook of the English Language by Latham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)

But since the former can be conceived only after the manner of the latter, the appropriateness of using the verb which expresses existence or reality, as the logical copula, will be at once apparent.

From Ontology or the Theory of Being by Coffey, Peter

We may, then, state the following rule for the conversion of propositions in which the whole relation explicitly stated is taken as the copula: Transpose the terms, and for the given relation substitute its reciprocal.

From Logic Deductive and Inductive by Read, Carveth