Chapter 6. Aspects of motion
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Olga Kagan
Abstract
In this paper, I investigate the semantic and pragmatic properties of the indeterminate imperfective aspect exhibited by verbs of motion in Russian. As pointed out by Forsyth (1970), indeterminate verbs are associated with a wide range of usages, which include iterativity, habituality, motion in multiple directions, and naming the type of motion. While iterativity seems to constitute a good candidate for a property that unifies all these usages, I argue that the indeterminate aspect does not entail event repetition. I argue instead that this aspect constitutes an identity function and that the aspectual restrictions imposed on sentences which contain indeterminate verbs are pragmatic, rather than semantic, in nature. I show that these restrictions are derived from independently motivated pragmatic principles.
Abstract
In this paper, I investigate the semantic and pragmatic properties of the indeterminate imperfective aspect exhibited by verbs of motion in Russian. As pointed out by Forsyth (1970), indeterminate verbs are associated with a wide range of usages, which include iterativity, habituality, motion in multiple directions, and naming the type of motion. While iterativity seems to constitute a good candidate for a property that unifies all these usages, I argue that the indeterminate aspect does not entail event repetition. I argue instead that this aspect constitutes an identity function and that the aspectual restrictions imposed on sentences which contain indeterminate verbs are pragmatic, rather than semantic, in nature. I show that these restrictions are derived from independently motivated pragmatic principles.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors ix
- Introduction. Verbs of motion in Slavic languages 1
-
Part I. Diachrony of motion expressions
- Chapter 1. Clause and text organization in early East Slavic with reference to motion and position expressions 15
- Chapter 2. Indeterminate motion verbs are denominal 47
- Chapter 3. Common Slavic “indeterminate” verbs of motion were really manner-of-motion verbs 67
- Chapter 4. PIE inheritance and word-formational innovation in Slavic motion verbs in -i- 111
-
Part II. Synchronic approaches to aspect
- Chapter 5. Perfectives from indeterminate motion verbs in Russian 125
- Chapter 6. Aspects of motion 141
- Chapter 7. Verbs of motion under negation in Modern Russian 163
-
Part III. Typological approach to the study of Slavic verbs of motion
- Chapter 8. Semantic composition of motion verbs in Russian and English 197
- Chapter 9. Motion events in Polish 225
- Chapter 10. The importance of being a prefix 247
- Chapter 11. Variation in the encoding of endpoints of motion in Russian 267
- Chapter 12. Verbs of rotation in Russian and Polish 291
- Chapter 13. Aquamotion verbs in Slavic and Germanic 315
- Chapter 14. Metaphorical walking 343
- Chapter 15. Russian verbs of motion 361
- Author index 383
- Language index 387
- Subject index 389
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors ix
- Introduction. Verbs of motion in Slavic languages 1
-
Part I. Diachrony of motion expressions
- Chapter 1. Clause and text organization in early East Slavic with reference to motion and position expressions 15
- Chapter 2. Indeterminate motion verbs are denominal 47
- Chapter 3. Common Slavic “indeterminate” verbs of motion were really manner-of-motion verbs 67
- Chapter 4. PIE inheritance and word-formational innovation in Slavic motion verbs in -i- 111
-
Part II. Synchronic approaches to aspect
- Chapter 5. Perfectives from indeterminate motion verbs in Russian 125
- Chapter 6. Aspects of motion 141
- Chapter 7. Verbs of motion under negation in Modern Russian 163
-
Part III. Typological approach to the study of Slavic verbs of motion
- Chapter 8. Semantic composition of motion verbs in Russian and English 197
- Chapter 9. Motion events in Polish 225
- Chapter 10. The importance of being a prefix 247
- Chapter 11. Variation in the encoding of endpoints of motion in Russian 267
- Chapter 12. Verbs of rotation in Russian and Polish 291
- Chapter 13. Aquamotion verbs in Slavic and Germanic 315
- Chapter 14. Metaphorical walking 343
- Chapter 15. Russian verbs of motion 361
- Author index 383
- Language index 387
- Subject index 389