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AlpheccaStars Posted 16 years ago
Linguistics Studies
Teaching English: tense, aspect, mood, perfection, and aktionsart
There has been quite a lengthy discussion on the Forums recently regarding the historic terminology that English grammarians have bestowed on their verb system, and how that can be confusing for students, especially those whose native language is endowed with a rich system of aspects and inflections.
This is a topic of particular and active interest to professional linguists. There is an illuminating set of articles on this very subject at CALLE (Centre for Applied Linguistics & Language Education), an international non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of and access to language education by developing standards, training teachers, etc. They have recognized that the although the terms tense, aspect, mood, perfection, and aktionsart are used throughout linguistic and language education texts, there exists still quite a bit of confusion regarding their meanings.
Here is a quote from the introduction:
QUOTE:
The study of the relation of time and languages began in earnest only around the turn of the 20th century. It was at this time that linguists in Russia and Germany first realized that what works in analyzing one language does not necessarily work in analyzing another.
The primary point of the series is to do away with longstanding confusion over language and time and to provide linguists, language enthusiasts, and educators with a solid yet simplified overview of these five concepts and how all languages use them to express the relationship of time and communication within those languages.
.....
Much of this confusion stems from the fact that terminology did not often keep up with developments in research and understanding in this field. Also, as new concepts were discovered and explored, rarely were languages reanalyzed within the context of this new understanding. This has led to a system where these concepts to be discussed (especially aspect and tense) are often conflated. It's also led to quite disparate terminology being used to explain the same concepts within different languages or language families.
Notice, that I said same concepts rather than similar ones. This is because these five attributes (tense, aspect, mood, perfection, and aktionsart) are universals of linguistics. That is, they are the same concepts, with the same definitions, and the same relationships with each other regardless of the language to which the terminology is applied.
This is not to say that all languages express the relationships between time and language in the same way. They certainly do not, however it is these same universal concepts that are at work in all of these languages in much the same way that all languages use subjects and verbs and objects. The ways in which these attributes are utilized may be quite different from one tongue to the next, but the basic building blocks and rules of these relationships remain the same across the linguistic spectrum.
END QUOTE
I recommend that those interested in the subject take some time to read the and use the information as appropriate.
Most learners of English are not at all interested in linguistic terminology. It is even intimidating for native speakers! But a teacher's knowing these concepts may help them to get a learner over a mental obstacle when his language differs significantly from English in this respect.
This is also a good (and comprehensive) reference for those who would post and contribute to the Linguistics section on the Forum. There is a lot of food for thought in these articles.
Regards,
A-
s
This is a topic of particular and active interest to professional linguists. There is an illuminating set of articles on this very subject at CALLE (Centre for Applied Linguistics & Language Education), an international non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of and access to language education by developing standards, training teachers, etc. They have recognized that the although the terms tense, aspect, mood, perfection, and aktionsart are used throughout linguistic and language education texts, there exists still quite a bit of confusion regarding their meanings.
Here is a quote from the introduction:
QUOTE:
The study of the relation of time and languages began in earnest only around the turn of the 20th century. It was at this time that linguists in Russia and Germany first realized that what works in analyzing one language does not necessarily work in analyzing another.
The primary point of the series is to do away with longstanding confusion over language and time and to provide linguists, language enthusiasts, and educators with a solid yet simplified overview of these five concepts and how all languages use them to express the relationship of time and communication within those languages.
.....
Much of this confusion stems from the fact that terminology did not often keep up with developments in research and understanding in this field. Also, as new concepts were discovered and explored, rarely were languages reanalyzed within the context of this new understanding. This has led to a system where these concepts to be discussed (especially aspect and tense) are often conflated. It's also led to quite disparate terminology being used to explain the same concepts within different languages or language families.
Notice, that I said same concepts rather than similar ones. This is because these five attributes (tense, aspect, mood, perfection, and aktionsart) are universals of linguistics. That is, they are the same concepts, with the same definitions, and the same relationships with each other regardless of the language to which the terminology is applied.
This is not to say that all languages express the relationships between time and language in the same way. They certainly do not, however it is these same universal concepts that are at work in all of these languages in much the same way that all languages use subjects and verbs and objects. The ways in which these attributes are utilized may be quite different from one tongue to the next, but the basic building blocks and rules of these relationships remain the same across the linguistic spectrum.
END QUOTE
I recommend that those interested in the subject take some time to read the and use the information as appropriate.
Most learners of English are not at all interested in linguistic terminology. It is even intimidating for native speakers! But a teacher's knowing these concepts may help them to get a learner over a mental obstacle when his language differs significantly from English in this respect.
This is also a good (and comprehensive) reference for those who would post and contribute to the Linguistics section on the Forum. There is a lot of food for thought in these articles.
Regards,
A-
sTop answer
All language teachers would benefit from studying linguistics. However, the aim of language teachers is to teach a language and they have been doing this for centuries and before "developments in research and understanding in this field". The "discoveries" of linguists in their investigations into language may be of little help in the classroom.
- All language teachers would benefit from studying linguistics.
- However, the aim of language teachers is to teach a language and they have been doing this for centuries and before "developments in research and understanding in this field".
- The "discoveries" of linguists in their investigations into language may be of little help in the classroom.
- A linguist, for example, may frown at the notion that French verbs should be divided into "regular" and "irregular" arguing that irregularity is an invalid concept, but a teacher of French finds it useful.
- If language teachers often conflate aspect and tense it is because many languages have no clear cut divisions between them.
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All language teachers would benefit from studying linguistics. However, the aim of language teachers is to teach a language and they have been doing this for centuries and before "developments in research and understanding in this field". The "discoveries" of linguists in their investigations into language may be of little help in the classroom. A linguist, for example, may frown at the notion th
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