Variación lingüística y etnopragmática. Factores socioculturales en la variación \'ser\' / \'estar\'

In Modern Spanish, the verb 'estar' is generally used in locative contexts. In Mediëval Spanish, the verbs 'ser' and 'estar' appear in variation in these contexts. The article presents a quantitative and qualitative corpus research of several medieval texts and shows that the variation between 'ser' and 'estar' can, at least partially, be explained by cognitive aspects of the spatial situation (figure/ground) and the communicative focus of the speaker.