The present paper is concerned with the interfaces between the verbal categories of aktionsart and voice. Despite the fact that aktionsarten have been known since antiquity, there still seems to be a certain amount of both terminological and conceptual confusion with respect to aktionsarten. A general definition most linguists can agree on involves the notion that aktionsart (which in most publications is referred to as lexical aspect) basically represents an immanent property of the verb assigning temporal information to a given lexical item. Lexical aspect differs from grammatical aspect in that it is restricted to verb semantics; neither does it include subdivisions based on conjugated forms of a verb, nor does it take into account the syntactico-semantic processes found on the sentential level.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Aktionsart and Verbal Classification
3. Terminativity and Sentence Structure
4. Passivization and Semantic Consequences
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the complex linguistic interface between the verbal category of aktionsart (lexical aspect) and the syntactic category of voice. It investigates how the intrinsic temporal properties of verbs, such as telicity and duration, interact with sentence-level constructions to determine the overall aspectual meaning of an utterance, with a particular focus on how passive morphology affects this semantic construal.
- The distinction between lexical aspect (aktionsart) and grammatical aspect.
- Vendler's classification of verb types: activities, accomplishments, achievements, and states.
- The role of verbal complements and SQA (Specified Quantity of A) in determining sentence terminativity.
- The semantic and structural impact of passivization on verb phrase interpretation.
- Constraints on passive voice usage concerning middle verbs and intransitive predicates.
Excerpt from the Book
Aktionsart and its Interplay with Voice
The present paper is concerned with the interfaces between the verbal categories of aktionsart and voice. Despite the fact that aktionsarten have been known since antiquity, there still seems to be a certain amount of both terminological and conceptual confusion with respect to aktionsarten. A general definition most linguists can agree on involves the notion that aktionsart (which in most publications is referred to as lexical aspect) basically represents an immanent property of the verb assigning temporal information to a given lexical item. Lexical aspect differs from grammatical aspect in that it is restricted to verb semantics; neither does it include subdivisions based on conjugated forms of a verb, nor does it take into account the syntactico-semantic processes found on the sentential level. Thus, the term aktionsart includes procedural characteristics such as “phasal structure”, “time extension” or “manner of development” (cf. Bache 1982: 70). Verbal classification is primarily based on specific temporal parameters like telicity, boundedness and the extension on the timeline (i.e. durative aspect as distinct from momentaneous aspect). Vendler differentiates between four semantic types of verbs maintaining that verbs generally fall into categories expressing a) activity, b) accomplishments, c) achievements, or d) states. While verbs of the a and b categories permit continuous tense, those of the categories c and d do not. Although activities and accomplishments can both be described as durative actions stretching over an extended period of time, only the latter terms exhibit a terminal point at which, as soon as it is reached, the action comes to an end. Activity terms, by contrast, do not support a terminus or present the action as culminating at a specifically identifiable point in time; instead, here the action goes on homogeneously (that is, each and every stage of the ongoing process is on par with the process as a whole, e.g. in activity verbs like running or swimming) for an indeterminable length of time.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the focus of the paper on the interface between aktionsart and voice, noting the ongoing confusion regarding the terminology of lexical aspect.
2. Aktionsart and Verbal Classification: This section details the fundamental properties of aktionsart and explains Vendler’s four-way classification of verbs based on temporal parameters like telicity and duration.
3. Terminativity and Sentence Structure: This chapter explores how verbal complements and container adverbials influence the terminative reading of a sentence, illustrating how durative activities can be transformed into terminative processes.
4. Passivization and Semantic Consequences: This part analyzes the syntactic changes involved in passivization and discusses how the interplay of auxiliary verbs and main verbs creates potential ambiguities between stative and resultative readings.
5. Conclusion: The concluding chapter affirms the legitimacy of the aktionsart concept and argues for the necessity of maintaining a strict analytical distinction between aspect and aktionsart to ensure clarity in linguistic study.
Keywords
aktionsart, lexical aspect, grammatical aspect, telicity, boundedness, Vendler, verb semantics, passive voice, terminativity, stative, dynamic, middle verbs, passivization, sentence structure, diathesis
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this paper?
The paper explores the relationship between the verbal category of aktionsart (lexical aspect) and the syntactic category of voice, investigating how they interact to shape the meaning of English verb phrases.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The study covers verbal classification, the role of complementation in aspectual meaning, the transformation of active to passive voice, and the semantic restrictions affecting different verb types.
What is the primary research objective?
The primary objective is to clarify how internal verb semantics and sentence-level syntactic structures (specifically passivization) constrain or alter the aspectual reading of a sentence.
Which linguistic methodology is employed?
The author utilizes a theoretical linguistic approach, drawing on established frameworks like Vendler’s verb classification and Verkuyl’s theory of aspectuality to analyze syntactic and semantic interfaces.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body examines the definitions of aktionsart, the parameters of telicity and duration, the impact of complements on sentence terminativity, and the functional differences in passive constructions using auxiliaries like "be" and "get".
Which keywords best describe the work?
Key terms include aktionsart, lexical aspect, telicity, passivization, verb semantics, and diathesis.
How does the "get-passive" differ from the standard passive?
The "get-passive" is more common in informal English and often implies that the subject is in some way responsible for, or accountable for, the state of events described.
Why is the classification of the verb "die" considered difficult?
The verb "die" is challenging because it exhibits properties of both accomplishments (being bounded) and achievements (referring to a specific point in time), making it difficult to categorize definitively under Vendler’s criteria.
What are "middle verbs" in the context of this paper?
Middle verbs are stative transitive verbs that are predominantly used in active constructions and generally resist transformation into the passive voice, such as the verb "have".
- Citar trabajo
- Tobias Rösch (Autor), 2008, Aktionsart and its Interplay with Voice, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/140267
