In this paper, we argue that specificational copular clauses are derived equations which are distinct from genuine equatives. While the latter has an equative copula, the former achieves a semantics of equation through type-shift. The account presented here not only allows us to maintain a predicate inversion analysis for specificational copular clauses but also explain when a predicate can be inverted, thus accommodating some of the main empirical short-falls of a predicate inversion analysis. We also show that this account can be extended to other types of specificational copular clauses, such as those with possessive subjects and indefinites.