[B-Greek] Aspect analysis

Richard Lindeman oblchurch at msn.com
Fri Dec 16 14:54:04 EST 2005


Ken:

 

I have read neither Comrie nor Bromen.  But I do sort of follow what you are
saying below.  The fact of the matter is that I am looking for a simple and
general definition for grammatical aspect that probably doesn't exist for an
amateur/pastor like me... a definition of aspect that will allow me to get
some depth in GNT readings without getting me into too much trouble.

 

What I think that I have learned so far is that complete/incomplete and
completed/not completed is what the experts are debating as the major
options for translating grammatical aspect. The second thing I have learned
is that grammatical aspect appears to be related to the Focus of the author.


Both you and Rolf have referred to that focus of the author as being Time R.


However, it seems to me that time is often not at all the focus of a
biblical author when choosing verbal endings.

 

I am looking for a definition of grammatical aspect that covers more than
that... all the bases and all the focuses of biblical authors.  As has been
pointed out to me by Rolf, sometimes the focus of the author is on a
substantive. Both of you have indicated that at times the focus of the
author is on a Time R. And I myself have suggested that at other times the
focus of the author may be on Action R rather than Time R.  Or maybe the
author's focus is elsewhere when he happens to choose an imperfective or
perfective verbal form.

 

If you say that grammatical aspect always intersects with Time R, then
perhaps what I really need to learn is that grammatical aspect does not
exist in situations where the authors focus is elsewhere.

 

As you can see I am thoroughly confused. Therefore, for the time being this
is what I will attempt to do. When examing a verbal form I will look for the
Focus of the author whatever it may happen to be(Time R, Action R,
Substantive R, or whatever). Then, from that focus I will attempt to
determine whether there is an intersection with the grammatical verbal form
I am looking at that may produce one or more of the numerous nuances of
aspect that the grammars reference.

 

Is this a counsel of despair that I am choosing now,  or do you have better
advice?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Rich Lindeman

 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Ken Penner" <pennerkm at mcmaster.ca>

To: "'Richard Lindeman'" <oblchurch at msn.com>; <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>

Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 9:00 AM

Subject: RE: [B-Greek] John 3:31-32... aspect analysis

 

 

>> But now I am having trouble distinguising what is aspect and what is

>> aktionsart.  The verbal root of "come" appears to be

>> imperfective(incomplete).   The generalization appears to be

>> perfective

>> (complete). The verbal tense is imperfective (incomplete).  But isn't

>> complete/incomplete KIND of action or Aktionsart as opposed to

>> completed/(not completed) as Rolf Furuli seems to be

>> describing the nature

>> of aspect?

> 

> I can't speak for Rolf's description of aspect (though I wish I understood

> him well enough to do so!).

> 

> Aktionsart is another of those words used differently by different 

> writers.

> Usually what is meant by this term is what I call Lexical Aspect.

> 

> There are two ways to present the temporal constituency of a situation as 

> a

> development or result: lexically and grammatically. Comrie distinguishes

> states from dynamic situations, but refrained from providing labels for 

> this

> distinction. I use the straightforward terminology used by Mari Broman 

> Olsen

> to explain these two means of presenting temporal constituency.

> 

> Temporal constituency expressed by means of inflection is called

> "grammatical aspect"; this is what I have been calling aspect in earlier

> messages. Temporal constituency expressed by lexical means is called

> "lexical aspect."  Lexical aspect is carried by verbs whose lexical 

> meaning

> allows only certain kinds of action. It uses verbs and other lexical items

> to describe how a situation develops or holds over time.  For example, the

> verb "run" is lexically dynamic, i.e., it involves action or some kind of

> change. Other verbs cannot be dynamic; e.g., "know" does not involve any

> action or change. (Comrie further specifies that "with a state, unless

> something happens to change that state, then the state will continue."  In

> other words, "to remain in a state requires no effort, whereas to remain 

> in

> a dynamic situation does require effort." )

> 

> In addition to the stative/dynamic dichotomy, Olsen notes that some verbs

> such as "win" are inherently telic (goal-oriented), and others ("blink",

> "tap") are punctual, without duration. These three aspectual features

> (durativity, dynamicity, and telicity) then provide the criteria to

> distinguish six lexical aspects:

> 

> Lexical Aspect Durative Dynamic Telic Examples

> State        + Be Canadian

> Activity        + + Climb, run (without an

> object)

> Accomplishment + + + Climb, run (with an object)

> Achievement + + Graduate

> Semelfactive + Wink, tap, cough

> Stage-level state + + Be pregnant

> 

> There are six rather than eight possible lexical aspects because an event

> must be dynamic if it is not durative; there can be no such thing as a

> punctual state.

> 

>> Is there overlap here?  Is aspect in Greek "kind of action"

>> complete/incomplete rather than time of action completed/not

>> completed?

> 

> The two (lexical aspect and grammatical aspect) do interact. For example,

> English grammaticalizes one kind of aspect (progression), and that only 

> for

> non-stative verbs used in non-habitual situations. But we must be careful

> not to confuse them.

> 

> Ken Penner, M.C.S. (Biblical Languages, Greek Focus), M.A. (Hebrew Poetry)

> Ph.D. (cand.), McMaster University

> pennerkm at mcmaster.ca

> Flash! Pro vocabulary software: http://s91279732.onlinehome.us/flash or

> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/flash_pro/join

> Purchase: http://tinyurl.com/6tg2d

> 

 




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