Acerca de la alternancia entre quedar y quedarse: una mirada desde el enfoque cognitivoprototípico

Abstract

Within the subsystem of the “verbs of becoming”, quedar(se) (Q(se)) stands out among the rest because it lacks the causative version, that corresponds to dejar. Therefore, how can we differentiate between quedar (Q) and quedarse (Qse) when the decausative version can either lack or have the reflexive pronoun? The purpose of this study is to explain the Q/Qse alternation from the Prototypical-Cognitive Approach (ECP) (LAKOFF, 1987; LANGACKER, 1987; 1991a; 1991b; among others). In order to achieve that, we conduct a critical review of the state of the field and we reassess the criteria to consider. Based on the idea of a polysemic item whose attributes are redefined in each context, our point of departure is the classification of verb schemas by Borzi (2008) and we propose a hypothesis that could explain the Q/Qse alternation so that each gradual verb schema would include different attributes that would allow to characterize the different Q and Qse clauses. Specifically, our thesis is that the meaning of the pronoun would be related to the type of verb schema: its absence would imply a tendency to conceptualize the clause as a more Static one, and its presence would imply a tendency to conceptualize it as an Intransitive of Action or Intransitive of Change of State or Process clause. In this way, we hope to contribute not only to the treatment of Q and Qse verbs, but also to future investigations on other “verbs of becoming”, and on the meaning of the reflexive pronoun in Spanish.