Re: Fundamentally flawed? (Aktionsart/Aspect/Lexis)

From: dalmatia@eburg.com
Date: Thu Mar 19 1998 - 11:46:17 EST


Dr. Wheeler Outlines:

STATES<----->Actions
<no change> <change>
                / \
             / \
    ACTIVITIES<--->Performances
     <unbounded> <bounded>
                          / \
                         / \
        ACCOMPLISHMENTS<--->Achievements
        <durative> <non-durative>
                                  / \
                                 / \
                        CLIMAXES<--->PUNCTUALS
                     <prefaced> <non-prefaced>

This whole topic has my head spinning. Aktionsart was not a catagory
of instruction when I studied Greek 25 years ago. So in simple
English, I would like to try to exemplify this outline using the verb
'to run'.

STATE ~ I AM a runner.

ACTION ~ I RUN.

ACTIVITY ~ I am a person who engages in the activity of RUNNING.
[...who RUNS. ??]

PERFORMANCE ~ I RAN that race.

ACCOMPLISHMENT ~ I have been RUNNING that race for years.

ACHIEVEMENT ~ I RAN that race yesterday.

Dr. Wheeler, would you please correct and complete this
exemplification for me? I am totally stuck in the mud here. I am not
getting this at all...

Thank-you for your help.

George Blaisdell



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Sat Apr 20 2002 - 15:39:14 EDT