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5 - Levels of Interaction between Aspect and Tense

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 October 2021

Henk J. Verkuyl
Henk J. Verkuyl
Affiliation:
Utrecht University
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Summary

Chapter 5 describes how all verbs are anchored in the system of positive real numbers R+ by focussing on the meaning of a verb without taking into account its arguments. This makes it possible to distinguish stative from non-stative verbs by assigning to each of them a (mathematical) function determining the value of the eventuality argument ?? of the verb. The next step is then to separate non-stative verbs expressing continuity in R+ from verbs expressing discreteness in N by assigning to the latter a discretizing function mapping from R+ to N. A formal account of aspectual composition from the tenseless bottom to the tensed top S’makes it possible to distinguish the (ten) factors that are in play on different levels of phrase structure.

Keywords

continuitydiscreteness discretization function indeterminacylambda operatormodalitynegationnon-stativestativeterminative
Type
Chapter
Information
The Compositional Nature of Tense, Mood and Aspect , pp. 131 - 168
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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