The Semantics and Pragmatics of Lexical Aspect Features

This paper analyzes lexical aspect as the privative features [+dynamic], [+durative] and [+telic], rather than as equipollent features. Aspectual interpretation may therefore be described as monotonic composition of verbs with other constituents: marked verb features may not be changed, whereas unmarked features may become marked by other constituents. This model also predicts the variety of interpretations observed with unmarked features. Six feature combinations are proposed, representing four Vendler classes (states, activities, accomplishments, achievements) and two other attested classes (semelfactives, and stage-level states). The non-occurring combinations are excluded by appealing to the inherent temporal structure suggested by the features. 1. Introduction Many linguists and philosophers have observed that verbs represent situations (events or states) with different properties of lexical aspect, also known as Aktionsart. Some attribute the differences to equipollent semantic features (1), 1 dividing verbs into classes based on these features, often Vendler's four: state, activity, accomplishment, and achievement (Vendler 1957; Kenny 1963; Dowty 1979, inter alia). Others propose that aspect is structural, since adverbials and verb complements appear to change the aspectual class (Verkuyl 1972, 1993; Pustejovsky 1991). In this paper I argue that the observed range of compositional effects may be described monotonically without special compositional or structural rules, by analyzing the aspectual features as privative oppositions (2). (1) Previous literature: equipollent lexical aspect features Aspectual Class Telic Dynamic Durative Examples State-+ know, have Activity-+ + run, paint Accomplishment + + + destroy