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Laborious Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Q16: Need your help to understand the following theory, please
Hello dear teachers,
Although I’ve read the following theory many times, yet I’m not able to understand it thoroughly. I have underlined the things which I’m confused about. There are many things which I'm confused about. Could you summarizewhat the theory says or could you just clarify what the underlined things mean, please?
I don't know if this will interest you or not, but please spare some of your free time on this when possible.
Introduction:
“Aspect” has been widely discussed in English grammar with respect to the internal structure of actions, states and events as it revolves around the grammatical category of English verb groups and tenses. Depending on the interpretations of actions, states, and events as feature of the verbs or as a matter of speaker’s viewpoint, two approaches are available for aspect: “Temporal” and “Non – temporal”.
Temporal view regards “the Temporal Quality or Condition” of an event with respect to itself (What does 'temporal Quality or conditon of an event' mean, teachers?), in terms of such things as inception, repetition, duration, punctuality etc’ (Freed, 1979, p. 10). On the other hand, Non – temporal view considers ‘a speaker’s viewpoint or perspective on a situation . . . as either completed (perfective aspect), or as ongoing (imperfective aspect), continuing (continuing aspect) ending (egressive aspect), or repeating (iterative or habitual aspect)’ (Brinton, 1988, p. 3). The key points here are (1) inherent feature of an event or action or state as applies to the temporal view and (2) speaker’s perspective on the situation as considered for the non – temporal view. In consideration of these two points, the temporal view is identical with the term aktionsart and the non – temporal with aspect as we talk about the phenomena of aspectuality. Brinton (1988) distinguishes between aspect and aktionsart by associating the latter with the speaker’s point of view and aspect with what can be termed in Comrie’s (1976) definition as “inherent or semantic aspect” (p. 41 – 52). However, Huddleston (1948), Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech, and Svartvik (1985), Huddleston (2002), Leech (2004) do not make such kind of distinction. Interestingly, all of them including Brinton (1988) have discussed aspect in terms of the underlying semantics of the situation (What does 'underlying semantics of a situaton' mean, teachers?) itself. Does this imply that aspect is a semantic phenomenon, over all?
Thank you.
Although I’ve read the following theory many times, yet I’m not able to understand it thoroughly. I have underlined the things which I’m confused about. There are many things which I'm confused about. Could you summarizewhat the theory says or could you just clarify what the underlined things mean, please?
I don't know if this will interest you or not, but please spare some of your free time on this when possible.
Introduction:
“Aspect” has been widely discussed in English grammar with respect to the internal structure of actions, states and events as it revolves around the grammatical category of English verb groups and tenses. Depending on the interpretations of actions, states, and events as feature of the verbs or as a matter of speaker’s viewpoint, two approaches are available for aspect: “Temporal” and “Non – temporal”.
Temporal view regards “the Temporal Quality or Condition” of an event with respect to itself (What does 'temporal Quality or conditon of an event' mean, teachers?), in terms of such things as inception, repetition, duration, punctuality etc’ (Freed, 1979, p. 10). On the other hand, Non – temporal view considers ‘a speaker’s viewpoint or perspective on a situation . . . as either completed (perfective aspect), or as ongoing (imperfective aspect), continuing (continuing aspect) ending (egressive aspect), or repeating (iterative or habitual aspect)’ (Brinton, 1988, p. 3). The key points here are (1) inherent feature of an event or action or state as applies to the temporal view and (2) speaker’s perspective on the situation as considered for the non – temporal view. In consideration of these two points, the temporal view is identical with the term aktionsart and the non – temporal with aspect as we talk about the phenomena of aspectuality. Brinton (1988) distinguishes between aspect and aktionsart by associating the latter with the speaker’s point of view and aspect with what can be termed in Comrie’s (1976) definition as “inherent or semantic aspect” (p. 41 – 52). However, Huddleston (1948), Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech, and Svartvik (1985), Huddleston (2002), Leech (2004) do not make such kind of distinction. Interestingly, all of them including Brinton (1988) have discussed aspect in terms of the underlying semantics of the situation (What does 'underlying semantics of a situaton' mean, teachers?) itself. Does this imply that aspect is a semantic phenomenon, over all?
Thank you.
Top answer
) Hello Laborious. I'll do my best for you: I think these people are trying to distinguish two things which are indicated to us by the tense chosen for a verb: 1. what it tells us about when something happens or happened - over a long period or an instant; over a time leading up to the present moment, or just a block of time in the past; repeatedly, surprisingly, or whatever; this is the TEMPORAL VIEW OF ASPECT, and 2.
- ) Hello Laborious.
- I'll do my best for you: I think these people are trying to distinguish two things which are indicated to us by the tense chosen for a verb: 1.
- what it tells us about when something happens or happened - over a long period or an instant; over a time leading up to the present moment, or just a block of time in the past; repeatedly, surprisingly, or whatever; this is the TEMPORAL VIEW OF ASPECT, and 2.
- e.
- often a person, and the action indicated by the verb.
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1 Answers
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Laborious“the Temporal Quality or Condition” of an event with respect to itself (What does 'temporal Quality or conditon of an event' mean, teachers?)Hello Laborious. I'll do my best for you: I think these people are trying to distinguish two things which are indicated to us by the tense chosen for a verb: 1. what it tells us about when some
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