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Aspectual Recategorization - Aspect (3) Aspectual Recategorization Predicates shift from their prototypical class due to various elements

in the verb constellations The Sub ect! if the sub ect of an achievement is an indefinite plural noun phrase or a collective noun" the achievement recategorizes into an activity! (#) a$ The tourists have discovered a beautiful castle$ (achievement) b$ Tourists have discovered that beautiful castle for years (activity) c$ The battalion %as crossing the border for &' minutes (activity) The direct ob ect! if the direct ob ect of an accomplishment or an achievement is a bare plural noun phrase" they become activities$ (&) a$ Tom %rote the essay in & hours$ (accomplishment) b$ Tom %rote essays for & hours (activity) c$ (e discovered a treasure in the bac)yard$ (achievement) d$ Tom has been discovering fleas in the dog*s hair for 3 days (activity) +f the direct ob ect of an accomplishment , an achievement is a mass noun" the accomplishment , achievement turns into an activity$ (3) a$ Tom ate his hamburger in three minutes$ (accomplishment) b$ Tom ate popcorn for an hour$ (activity) Adverbials! if an activity is combined %ith an adverbial of e-tent (for . time)" it turns into an accomplishment! (/) a$ Tom %al)ed for an hour$ (activity) b$ Tom %al)ed & )ilometers in half an hour$ (accomplishment) Tense! habitual sentences al%ays designate states$ Almost any verb can become the predicate of a habitual sentence if used in the simple present" sometimes %ith a fre0uency time adverbial! (1) a$ (e played chess for & hours$ (activity) b$ (e plays chess every day$ (state) Activity verb phrases such as rub, burn, scratch turn into states %hen used in the simple present form" designating a general characteristic of the sub ect! (2) a$ The %ood is burning in the fireplace$ (activity) b$ This burns li)e fire$ (state) (3) a$ (e has been rubbing his eyes$ (activity) b$ The shoe rubs my heel$ (state) Progressive (continuous) aspect! %hen used in the progressive aspect" states accomplishments and achievements recategorize into activities unfolding at a certain reference time$

N.B. Some verbs can have several readings even if the verb phrase does not undergo any change of the type illustrated above (see e-amples (4))$ (4) a$ Tom read a boo) for an hour$ (activity) b$ Tom read a boo) in an hour$ (accomplishment) c$ She combed her hair for & minutes$ (activity) d$ She combed her hair in & minutes$ (accomplishment) Recapitulation Aspectual recategorization may be caused by! (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) The semantic properties of the sub ect5 The semantic type of direct ob ect5 The presence of an adverbial of e-tent (in time)5 The tense in the sentence5 The aspect in the sentence$ Aspectual 6lasses and the Progressive

Activity 7erb Phrases 8sed in the continuous aspect" %ith or %ithout adverbials e-pressing duration (all the time, meanwhile, all day / night long, for some time" etc$)" activity verb phrases designate processes that go on at a certain reference time$ Sometimes they describe t%o simultaneous processes and are connected either by and or by subordinating con unctions such as while, as, all the while$ etc$ (9) a$ The river is flooding$ b$ :ean%hile" he %as trying to find out %ho had robbed him$ c$ ;hile she %as rehearsing for the sho%" her maid %as se%ing her dress for the gala$ d$ As he %as crossing the street" he slipped on a banana s)in and bro)e his leg$ ;hen used in the progressive" semelfactives jump, kick, tremble, nod, knock, tap, pat, slam /bang" etc$ describe a series of repeated processes rather than a single process! (#') a$ The boy %as )ic)ing the ball against the %all$ b$ The dog is umping up and do%n$ c$ (er lips %ere trembling$ Accomplishment and Achievement 7erb Phrases The internal structure of accomplishments and achievements includes a final goal" outcome or result that ends up being suspended %hen the respective verb phrases combine %ith the progressive aspect$ ;hen they appear in the continuous , progressive aspect" they ac0uire an activity reading$ (##) a$ They built their house in t%o years$ (accomplishment)

b$ They %ere building the house %hen the accident happened$ (activity) c$ The man fell into the river and dro%ned$ (achievement) d$ ;hen his son came running to help him" the man %as already dro%ning$ (activity) State 7erb Phrases States are defined as having an abstract 0uality and an atemporal interpretation$ They are said to designate a property of the sub ect that lasts throughout time$ (ence" they do not typically combine %ith the progressive" %hich refers to situations of limited duration$ (o%ever" there are certain state verb phrases that may appear in the continuous" sometimes undergoing a shift in meaning due to this$ To be + property designating adjectives and nouns: +f the ad ective , noun designates a permanent property of an individual" the verb %ill never appear in the continuous form (be tall, be young, be smart" etc$)$ <et" certain ad ectives , nouns denote properties that can be altered and thus refer to only a temporally limited stage of the individual" in %hich case the use of the progressive becomes possible (compare (#&) to (#3))! (#&) a$ (e is a teacher$ b$ She is taller than you (general properties) (#3) a$ (e is being rude tonight$ b$ <ou are being a total bastard$ (processes unfolding no%) The second set of sentences describes temporary activities under the control of the sub ect$ The implication is that their behavior is deliberate and they can put an end to it if they %ant to$ Mental perception verb phrases: know, believe, hope, trust, imagine, wonder, think, etc. ;hen they occur in the progressive" they denote temporally and spatially limited processes unfolding at a certain reference in time$ They refer to a manifestation of the individual" not to a characteristic property of his or hers (compare the pairs belo%)! (#/) a$ + imagine she %ill agree to your proposal$ b$ + %as only imagining those ugly scenarios$ (#1) a$ + thin) he is %rong$ b$ + am thin)ing of giving up smoching$ (#2) a$ They hope to %in$ b$ (e %as hoping against hope that there %as a chance of success$ Physical perception verb phrases: see, hear, smell, taste, feel These verbs do not occur in the progressive if they denote a general characteristic of a certain individual , ob ect$ =ven if they ma)e reference to an act of perception unfolding at a specific moment li)e >?;" they resist the use of the continuous$ +nstead" they appear accompanied by the modal verb 6A> (ability)! I hear the wind blowing / I can hear the wind blowing/ * I am hearing the wind blowing$ +f they combine %ith the progressive" they denote processes going on for a limited period of time$ +n this case" the sub ect is attributed intention or purpose!

(#3) a$ <ou smell nice$ b$ + am smelling your perfume to see if + can guess %hat it is$ c$ The mil) tastes sour$ d$ (e is tasting the soup to see if it has got enough salt$ See and hear may even ac0uire ne% meanings %hen appearing in the continuous! (#4) The court is hearing the evidence tomorro%$ (they are listening to the %itnesses in the trial) (#9) + am seeing the doctor ne-t %ee)$ (+ have made an appointment) but @

(&') A+ am finally seeing 7eniceB*" she thought$ Psychological verb phrases: love, hate, like, dislike, want, miss, etc. Again" the atemporal 0uality of the state verbs is replaced %ith the temporal 0uality of the process unfolding for a certain limited period of time! (&') a$ + despise bad behavior$ b$ (e %ill be despising me heartily$ c$ =verybody envied everybody in that room$ d$ + %as envying him his freedom at the time$ Other property designating verbs: belong, contain, consist, weigh, measure, cost. +f used in the progressive" they denote temporary properties! (&#) a$ The nec)lace belongs to me$ b$ Are you belonging to the local libraryC c$ The castle costs a fortune$ d$ The mista)e is costing us dearly$ 7erbs li)e weigh and measure have a behavior similar to that of perception verbs" that is" the sub ect deliberately does the action of weighing or measuring! (&&) a$ The baby %eighs 2 pounds$ b$ The nurse is %eighing the baby$ Spatial configuation verb phrases: sit, stand, lie, rest, remain, etc. These verbs appear in the continuous aspect if their sub ect represents a movable ob ect and is part of a temporary state! (&3) a$ (er ne% house stands , Dis standing at the corner of our street$ b$ (e is standing near the plane in this photo$

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