Aspect

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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
  • 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|

  • @continuative: continuous
  • @experiential: experience
  • @habitual: habitual
  • @imperfective: uncompleted
  • @inceptive: beginning
  • @iterative: repetition
  • @perfect: relevant to the present
  • @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: