CORRECTION I meant of course that Cypriot ARABIC has developed a present tense copula under (Cypriot) Greek influence. -- Prof. Peter Trudgill Chair of English Linguistics University of Fribourg Misericorde 1700 Fribourg Switzerland Tel.: +41-26-300 7907 Fax: +41-26-300 9787 Sec'y: +41-26-300 7902 Assts.: +41-26-300 7905/7909 Home: +41-21-728 1916