Modality and aktionsart

Andrew Patterson · Post by **Andrew Patterson** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 8:54 pm

The aktionsart or lexical aspect of a verb is a part of the way in which that verb is structured in relation to time. Any event, state, process, or action a verb expresses--collectively, any eventuality--may also be said to have the same aktionsart. Lexical aspect should be distinguished from grammatical aspect: lexical aspect is a classification of different verbs. Grammatical aspect is a classification of different (conjugated) forms of a single verb.

Telic verbs express an action tending towards a goal envisaged as realized in a perfective tense, but as contingent in an imperfective tense; atelic verbs, on the other hand, are verbs which do not involve any goal nor endpoint in their semantic structure, but denote actions that are realized as soon as they begin. Atelic verbs don't.

Durative verbs express an action that takes place over a period of time. Non-durative verbs don't.

Dynamic verbs change internally over time non-dynamic verbs don't.

From here things get a bit confusing and I would suggest reading:
http://staff.science.uva.nl/~michiell/d ... ionsart%22

However, these can be put together in a grid:
Achievements eg "realise" are telic and non-durative;
Accomplishments eg "drown" are telic and durative;
Semelfactives eg "knock" are atelic and non-durative;
Activities eg "walk" are atelic, durative and dynamic*; and
States eg "be" are atelic and durative but non-dynamic.*

In your opinion, can the modal verbs be defined as "states" in this classification or are they something else?

* Correct me if I'm wrong and tell me how dynamicity fits in with the other three categories.

Andrew Patterson · Post by **Andrew Patterson** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 9:34 am

Could anyone classify these verbs according to this scheme into Achievements, Accomplishments, Semelfactives and Activities, thanks.
http://www.geocities.com/endipatterson/Aktionsart.html
Agree, aim, appear, arrange, aspire, attempt, call, call in, choose, conspire, decide, drop by, drop in, fail, happen, know how, learn, long, manage, neglect, offer, plan, pretend, proceed, promise, put in, refuse, resolve, seem, strive, swear, tend, threaten, volunteer, vow, write, yearn

Andrew Patterson · Post by **Andrew Patterson** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:05 pm

OK, lets try another direction of attack on these verbs.

Which show a purpose, which don't?