APIBA Annual Seminar 2014 A TASTE OF MODERN GRAMMAR
The present continuous as a combination of tense, grammatical and lexical aspect Graciela Palacio & Sergio RodrĂguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
Graciela Palacio & Sergio RodrĂguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
Consider the following four situations: 1. Be tired 2. Walk in the park 3. Walk to the park 4. Win a race
Graciela Palacio & Sergio RodrĂguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
1. Be tired
Graciela Palacio & Sergio RodrĂguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
1. Be tired
(Initial Point)
(Final Point)
Graciela Palacio & Sergio RodrĂguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
Situation Type
[+/-dynamic]
[+/- durative]
[+/- telic]
Representation
Example
[be tired]
State
[-]
[+]
(IP)
(FP) [own a house]
Graciela Palacio & Sergio RodrĂguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
2. Walk in the park
Graciela Palacio & Sergio RodrĂguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
2. Walk in the park
Initial Point …..……………… Final Point arbitrary homogeneous stages
Graciela Palacio & Sergio Rodríguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
Situation Type
[+/-dynamic]]
[+/- durative]
[+/- telic]
Representation
Example [be tired]
State
Activity
[-]
[+]
(IP)
(FP) [own a car]
[+]
[+]
[-]
IP………………FP Homogeneous Stages
[walk in the park] [run]
Graciela Palacio & Sergio Rodríguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
3. Walk to the park
Graciela Palacio & Sergio RodrĂguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
3. Walk to the park
Initial Point ----------------- Final Point natural Heterogeneous stages
Graciela Palacio & Sergio RodrĂguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
Situation Type
State
[+/-dynamic]]
[-]
[+/- durative]
[+/- telic]
[+]
Representation
(IP)
(FP)
IP………………FP
Activity
[+]
[+]
[-]
Homogeneous Stages
IP-------------FP
Accomplishment
[+]
[+]
[+] Heterogeneous Stages
Example [be tired] [own a car] [walk in the park] [run] [walk to the park] [build a house]
Graciela Palacio & Sergio Rodríguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
4. Win a race
Graciela Palacio & Sergio RodrĂguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
4. Win a race
………….Initial Point Final Point
Graciela Palacio & Sergio Rodríguez
Lexical /Inner Aspect Situation Type
State
[+/-dynamic]]
[-]
[+/- durative]
[+/- telic]
[+]
Representation
(IP)
(FP)
IP………………FP
Activity
[+]
[+]
[-]
Homogeneous Stages
IP ------------ FP
Accomplishment
[+]
[+]
[+] Heterogeneous Stages
Example [be tired] [own a car] [walk in the park] [run] [walk to the park] [build a house] [win a race]
Achievement
[+]
[-]
[+]
………. IP FP
[land in Japan]
Graciela Palacio & Sergio Rodríguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
Viewpoint (Grammatical aspect) is like the lens of a camera. We will consider two viewpoints: •Perfective
•Imperfective
Graciela Palacio & Sergio Rodríguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
Type of situation: Activity: [walk in the park] Perfective
Imperfective
The man walked in the park yesterday.
The man is walking in the park now.
////////////////////// [IP …………………………FP]
//////////// [IP ………………………………… FP]
Graciela Palacio & Sergio Rodríguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
Type of situation: Accomplishment: [walk to the park] Perfective
Imperfective
He walked to the park yesterday.
He was walking to the park yesterday.
////////////////////// [IP …………………………FP]
//////////// [IP ………………………………… FP]
Graciela Palacio & Sergio Rodríguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
General Imperfective Schema
……..////////………
Graciela Palacio & Sergio Rodríguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
Marked Imperfectives They focus on: a. The preliminary stages or b. The resulting stages
Graciela Palacio & Sergio RodrĂguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
Marked Imperfective focusing preliminary stages Type of situation: Achievement: [win a race] Perfective
Imperfective
The man won the race.
The man was winning the race.
///// IP FP
///// ……………...I P FP
Graciela Palacio & Sergio Rodríguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
Marked Imperfective focusing the resulting stages • Harold hung the picture on the wall. As a result: • The picture is hanging on the wall. I……………..F.. //////////// Graciela Palacio & Sergio Rodríguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
Marked Situation Type Compare: • •
George is naughty. George is being naughty.
• •
He resembles his father. He is resembling his father more and more.
• •
I hate zoology. I’m hating zoology class these days. Graciela Palacio & Sergio Rodríguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
“I am preparing a presentation.”
“Sorry! I was preparing a presentation.” •Lexical/Inner aspect (Situation type): Accomplishment •Grammatical aspect (Viewpoint): Imperfective •Tense (Location in time): Present / Past
Graciela Palacio & Sergio Rodríguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
TENSE
GRAMMATICAL ASPECT SITUATION TYPE
Graciela Palacio & Sergio Rodríguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
Bibliography Smith, C. (1991, 1997) The Parameter of Aspect. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Vendler, Z. (1957) “Verbs and Times.” The Philosophical Review. 66, 143-160.
Graciela Palacio & Sergio Rodríguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
•“Present continuous” = Tense + aspect •Form and meaning interact
•He walked in the park ≠ He walked to the park. •Advantages of the approach: - Make hypotheses - Have more autonomy - Assess materials Graciela Palacio & Sergio Rodríguez
APIBA Annual Seminar 2014
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
Graciela Palacio & Sergio Rodríguez