toward a definition of Verbal Apect

Wayne Leman wayne_leman at sil.org
Sun Nov 3 21:18:28 EST 2002


> I would go with Porter's categories of PERFECTIVE (the action is seen as
> completed, no time element is implied as to past, present or future),
> IMPERFECTIVE (the action is viewed as incomplete or ongoing, analogous to
> the concept of continuous, such that one does not think of the action as
> finished yet, again with no inherent reference to past, present, or
future),
> and STATIVE (the action is viewed as a whole, whether completed or not,
> again with no reference to time).

Ron, these are definitions I am comfortable with from my graduate studies in
linguistics.

Wayne
-----
Wayne Leman
http://committed.to/fieldtesting

>
> Unlike Porter, I would see at least implicit time in verbal forms (i.e.
that
> aorist is past unless there is a reason within the utterance to think
> otherwise).  Mind you, I am talking about Greek verbs only.  I claim no
> knowledge let alone expertise in any other language (even English, hehe).
>
> I hope this helps.  Others please feel free to critique or challenge what
I
> say, for I may be wrong.
>
> -Ron Fay




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