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Perfect and other aspects in a case grammar of English

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2008

George L. Dillon
George L. Dillon
Affiliation:
Indiana University in Fort Wayne
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Extract

In the case grammars of English proposed by Charles J. Fillmore and John Anderson perfect aspect is scarcely mentioned. Fillmore explicitly relegates it to a ‘modality’ component separate from the core ‘proposition’. Progressive (be ing) has not fared so badly – non-occurrence with (be ing) is frequently used as a defining test of a [+state] feature in a clause – and the readings assigned it are fairly constant and independent of the features of clauses in which it occurs. A model which treats progressive as ‘added on’ to any [–state] clause does not seem to miss any obvious generalizations or leave unaccounted-for any major divergences in semantic interpretation. With (have en), however, readings vary considerably depending on the character of the clause and the task of paraphrasing the ‘meaning’ (have en) ‘adds to’ a clause has frustrated many a grammarian of English, especially those who try to link ‘completion’ to it. In what follows, I will argue that we do need a [completive] semantic feature, but that it should be introduced into Anderson's subcategorization rules (1971: 211) and is only peripherally related to the readings assigned (have en). Adding an ‘aspectual’ feature to the subcategorization rules is not without warrant, since such features as [state] and [direction location] can be said to be aspectual, at least in the broadest sense of the term (‘having to do with “the temporal distribution or contour” of the action’ - Hockett's definition cited in Lyons, 1968: 315). Clearly relevant to the expression of aspect in this broad sense are manner and degree (or extent) adverbials, especially what I will call ‘aspect-manner’ adverbials: slowly, evenly. The relation of some manner adverbials (‘agent-manner’) and agency has been recognized and somewhat belaboured, though the parallel relation of degree adverbials and ‘completion’ has not. Again, these forms, like (have en), have been regarded as peripheral to the basic core of features, though some dependency relation between ‘agent-manner’ and agent has been suggested.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Linguistics , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , September 1973 , pp. 271 - 279
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1973

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References

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