Difference between revisions of "Aspect (definition)"
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"This page is provides a definition for a technical term, to learn about Aspect in Scottish Gaelic see [[Aspect]] | "This page is provides a definition for a technical term, to learn about Aspect in Scottish Gaelic see [[Aspect]] | ||
| − | Aspect is a grammatical term that refers to the duration of an [[Event (definition)|event]] or [[State (definition)|state]] described by a [[verb (definition)|verb]]. For example, an event that is | + | Aspect is a grammatical term that refers to the duration of an [[Event (definition)|event]] or [[State (definition)|state]] described by a [[verb (definition)|verb]]. For example, an event that is ongoing in duration is characterized by either the [[Imperfective Aspect (definition)|imperfective]] or [[Progressive Aspect (definition)|progressive]]. The progressive in English is marked by pairing the [[Auxiliary (definition)|Auxiliary]] verb 'be' with a [[Present Participle (definition)|present participle]] or [[Gerund (definition)|gerund]] like 'walking'. The sentence "I am walking" is in the progressive aspect, because it indicates that the duration of the event is on-going. |
| − | Aspect is often confused with [[Tense (definition)|tense]], which is the time at which an event occurs (relative to the time of speech) | + | Aspect is often confused with [[Tense (definition)|tense]], which is the time at which an event occurs (relative to the time of speech); [[Voice in Morphology (definition)|voice]], which is an operation that changes the number and type of [[Argument (definition)|arguments]]; and [[Mood (definition)| mood]], which is the speaker's attitude towards the event; but is a distinct notion from all of these. |
The general concept of aspect can be divided into two smaller categories: | The general concept of aspect can be divided into two smaller categories: | ||
Revision as of 19:42, 7 December 2009
"This page is provides a definition for a technical term, to learn about Aspect in Scottish Gaelic see Aspect
Aspect is a grammatical term that refers to the duration of an event or state described by a verb. For example, an event that is ongoing in duration is characterized by either the imperfective or progressive. The progressive in English is marked by pairing the Auxiliary verb 'be' with a present participle or gerund like 'walking'. The sentence "I am walking" is in the progressive aspect, because it indicates that the duration of the event is on-going.
Aspect is often confused with tense, which is the time at which an event occurs (relative to the time of speech); voice, which is an operation that changes the number and type of arguments; and mood, which is the speaker's attitude towards the event; but is a distinct notion from all of these.
The general concept of aspect can be divided into two smaller categories:
- Viewpoint Aspect
- Lexical Aspect
See Also
External Links
http://www.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOfLinguisticTerms/WhatIsAspect.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_aspect
