The Vietnamese Item “có” on the Lexicalization - Grammaticalization Continuum

Abstract

This paper examines the Vietnamese item có as a multifunctional linguistic unit operating along a continuous cline between lexicalization and grammaticalization. Drawing on an integrated theoretical framework that combines lexicalization, grammaticalization, and information structure, the study analyzes representative constructions containing có in order to determine its functional status in different usage configurations. The analysis shows that có not only functions as a predicate expressing possession or existence, but also participates in lexicalization processes by forming relatively fixed lexical units, and in grammaticalization processes, developing into an information-structure marker in discourse. In particular, in thetic utterances, có loses its role as a central predicate and serves to introduce a new event or discourse referent, thereby organizing the informational structure of the utterance. By positioning có on a continuum between lexicalization and grammaticalization, the paper highlights the interaction and overlap between these two processes and offers a more precise account of the functional flexibility and high productivity of có in contemporary Vietnamese grammar.