prohibitions

T & J Peterson (spedrson@erols.com)
Mon, 24 Mar 1997 06:53:21 -0800

In light of the discussion that has recently developed over tenses, does
anyone have some thoughts on prohibitions? I've read some grammars that
seem to identify present imperative as always a command to stop an
action already in progress and aorist subjunctive as indicating that an
action ought not be started. It seems, though, that a number of present
imperatives don't necessarily imply anything about whether the action is
already in progress, and some seem to refer particularly to an action
that has not yet begun. Is this an area where the wrong emphasis has
been placed on linear vs. punctiliar?

Trevor