Q17: inherent aspectual characteristics of the verbs

Question

Hi there teachers,

I've been reading about 'inherent aspectual characteristics of verbs' recently, but when I searched the topic on internet, I found the terms 'durative verbs', 'punctual verbs', 'telic and atelic verbs', 'achievement verbs', and 'accomplishment verbs'.

I've understood the concept of 'durative and punctual verbs', I think. But could somesome please explain to me the meaings of 'telic', 'atelic', 'achievement', 'accomplishment' verbs? What are these verbs, and how are they different from one another, please?

Fivejedjon · Accepted Answer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telicity

CalifJim · Answer

Telic: having a goal, an end.
Within telic verbs are accomplishment verbs and achievement verbs.

Atelic: not having a goal or end.
Within atelic verbs are stative verbs and activity verbs.

Durative: takes place over a period of time
Punctual: takes place at a point in time

Sometimes these have to do with uses of verbs in specific sentences rather than with the isolated verbs themselves. The definitions are not strict, so there are cases where opinions differ about which term applies best in a given case.

Accomplishment: She walked through the park. [The walking was occurring through the entire process.] [not instantaneous]
Achievement: He won the race. [The winning only occurred at the end of a process.] [instantaneous]
Activity: They were playing in the garden. [Involves on-going motion.]
Stative: We knew that. [No moving parts.]

Look up "Vendler".

CJ

Laborious · Answer

CalifJimTelic: having a goal, an end.

CalifJimAtelic: not having a goal or end.

Thanks to you, teacher, for that information. But I don't understand when exactly you mean by saying that Telic verbs have a goal, an end. Doesn't every thing that we do have an end? I have read that thing from the grammar sites as well, but still feel confused about it. Can you give me some more of your time, please?

CalifJimLook up "Vendler".

I don't have that. Is that a book, please?

CalifJim · Answer

LaboriousCalifJim: Look up "Vendler".
I don't have that. Is that a book, please?

What I meant was that you should use Google or another search engine to find out more information about the terminology you are interested in. Search Vendler event classes. Among others, you will get hits on these:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeno_Vendler
http://www.sfu.ca/person/dearmond/322/322.event.class.htm

LaboriousBut I don't understand when exactly you mean by saying that Telic verbs have a goal, an end. Doesn't every thing that we do have an end?

By saying that telic verbs have a goal, we really mean something more like "The meaning of the sentence expresses an action that finished (or reached its goal)". (Atelic means that the sentence doesn't express a finished action.)

Telic: 1a Jack painted the house in an hour. / 1b Margaret pushed the cart to the park.
Atelic: 2a Jack painted the house for an hour. / 2b Margaret pushed the cart in the park.

1a. It took Jack an hour to paint the house. He finished painting it. (Goal: to get all of the house painted)
1b. Margaret succeeded in moving the cart to the park. She finished moving it there. (Goal: to get the cart to the park)
2a. Jack kept painting the house until an hour had passed. Then he stopped.
.... Nothing says he finished painting the house.
2b. Margaret kept pushing the cart while she was in the park. She wandered around without any specific destination.
.... Nothing says she finished doing something.

Telic actions "finish"; they don't "stop": Jack finished painting the house (in an hour). Margaret finished pushing the cart to the park.
Atelic actions "stop"; they don't "finish": Jack stopped painting the house. Margaret stopped pushing the cart.

CJ

Q17: inherent aspectual characteristics of the verbs

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