Aspect
From UNLwiki
Aspect is a category used to indicate the temporal internal structure of an event.
Natural language
In the UNLarium, aspect may assume the following values:
{{#tree:id=nl_tense|openlevels=0|root=Aspect (ASP)|
- perfective (PFV): completed
- imperfective (NPFV): uncompleted
- continuative (CTN): continuous
- progressive (PGS): ongoing
- habitual (HAB): habitual
- iterative (ITE): repetition
- continuative (CTN): continuous
- perfect (PFC): relevant to the present
- experiential perfect aspect (EXP): relevant because of the experience
- perfect of persistent situation (PSS): relevant because of the persistence
- perfect of recent past (PRP): relevant because of the proximity
- perfect of result (RES): relevant because of the result
- prospective (PPT): imminent
- inceptive (ICP): beginning
- terminative (TER): cessation
}}
- Perfect and perfective are different aspectual values
- perfective = seen as completed (He ate the apple)
- perfect = seen as relevant to the present (He has eaten the apple)
- Aspect values may be combined through "&"
- I am eating = PGS
- I have been eating = PGS&PSS
Examples
- perfective (PFV): He ate an apple
- progressive (PGS): He is eating an apple
- habitual (HAB): He eats apples.
- iterative (ITE): He has been eating apples for years
- experiential perfect aspect (EXP): He has never eaten an apple
- perfect of persistent situation (PSS): He has been eating that apple since yesterday
- perfect of recent past (PRP): He has just eaten the apple
- perfect of result (RES): He has eaten the apple
- prospective (PPT): He is about to eat the applet
- inceptive (ICP): He starts to eat the apple
- terminative (TER): He finishes to eat the apple
UNL
In UNL, aspect is to be represented by attributes indicating the temporal internal structure of the event.
{{#tree:id=unl_aspect|openlevels=0|root=Aspect|
- @causative: causing
- @continuative: continuous
- @experiential: experience
- @habitual: habitual
- @imperfective: uncompleted
- @inceptive: beginning
- @iterative: repetition
- @perfective: completed
- @persistent: persistent
- @progressive: ongoing
- @prospective: imminent
- @result: result
- @terminative: cessation
}}
- Aspect values may be combined.
- I start to eat = eat.@inceptive
- I'm starting to eat = eat.@inceptive.@progressive
Examples
- @continuative: I'm still eating the apple.
- @experiential: I have already eaten an apple
- @habitual: I eat apples.
- @imperfective: I was eating the apple (when she came).
- @inceptive: I start eating the apple.
- @iterative: I ate and ate the apple.
- @perfective: I ate the apple.
- @progressive: I'm eating the apple.
- @prospective: I'm about to eat the apple.
- @terminative: I finished eating the apple.
List of verb forms:
