Re: Tense and aspect in English

A K M Adam (F49ADAM@ptsmail.ptsem.edu)
30 Apr 97 07:06:43 EDT

hETAIROI--

I thought Aspect geeks didn't say "Aktionsart" at all. . . .

To Jim's deliberations, let me point out that the construction in question
depends on an idiomatic ellipsis of the notion "planning": "I was *planning*
to go to my brother's house. . ." I'm not sure this example teaches us
something about verb tenses themselves, save possibly that peculiar idioms
of which we are no longer sensitive may play havoc with our theoretical
categorizations.

I'm still most impressed with Mari's take on these matters.

Grace and peace,
A K M Adam
f49adam@ptsmail.ptsem.edu
Princeton Theological Seminary

"A theory of truth is one theory too many"