existential there

existential there (there i presenterinsgssetninger): the use of there as an anticipatory subject in a presentative construction , i.e. in a clause about the existence or occurrence of something. The person/thing/phenomenon that is presented is expressed after the verb as the notional subject. In contrast to the locative adverb there, the existential there is normally pronounced as a weak form, and it does not carry any meaning (i.e. it does not contrast with here), but it is a signal of a presentative construction; a signal that something is going to be presented later in the clause. In sentences with there as an anticipatory subject, the verb is usually a form of to be, and it is followed by the notional subject, and often a place adverbial. We can thus set up the formula there + BE + notional subject+ adverbial. E.g. There is a fly in my soup. There was a change in the atmosphere. Once upon a time there was a very vain emperor.