Aspect

To see a definition of the terms used here see Aspect (definition)

Aspect in Scottish Gaelic

Aspect takes two forms in Scottish Gaelic: (1) Grammatical or Viewpoint aspect and (2) Lexical aspect or Aktionsart. Viewpoint aspect gives a picture of the flow or architecture of the time of the situation expressed by the proposition. Aktionsart is inherent to verbs or verb phrases and describes the inherent structure of the eventuality of the proposition in terms of endpoints (telicity) and duration (punctualness/durativity), etc.

Progressive aspect

Bha	Iain	ag	ithe	an	arain.
be.pst	John	prog	eat.vn	the	bread.gen
'John was eating the bread/John was at the eating of the bread.'

Perfective aspect

Bha	Iain	air	an	t-aran	ithe.
be.pst	John	perf	the	bread.dat	eat.vn
'John has eaten the bread.'

Prospective aspect

• Prospective aspect is used to express action which is about to happen in the immediate future. When modified by an adverb denoting a more remote time, it can express farther future as well.

Tha	an	duine	gus	falbh.
be	the	man	towards	leave.vn
'The man is about to leave.'

Tha	an	duine	gus	e	fhèin	a	mharbhadh,	a-màireach.
be	the	man	towards	3ms	self	tran	kill.vn	tomorrow
'The man is going to kill himself, tomorrow.'

Comination of aspects

• Perfect + progressive

Tha	Iain	air	a	bhith	a'	togail	an	taighe.
be	John	after	tran	be.vn	at	build.vn	the	house.gen
'John has been building the house.'

• Prospective + progressive

Tha	Iain	gus	a	bhith	a'	togail	an	taighe.
be	John	towards	tran	be.vn	at	build.vn	the	house.gen
'John is going to be building the house.'

• Perfective + prospective

Tha

Iain

air

a

bhith

gus

an

taigh

a

thogail

(o

chionn

bliadhna).

be

John

after

tran

be.vn

towards

the

house

tran

build.vn

from

occasion.dat

year.gen

'John has been about to build/complete the house (for a year).'

• Prospective + perfective

Tha	Iain	gus	a	bhith	air	an	taigh	a	thogail.
be	John	towards	tran	be.vn	after	the	house	tran	build.vn
'John has been about to have built the house.'

• Perfective + prospective + progressive

Tha	Iain	air	a	bhith	gus	a	bhith	a'	togail	an	taighe.
be	John	after	tran	be.vn	towards	tran	be.vn	at	build.vn	the	house.gen
'John has been about to be building the house.'

• Prospective + perfective + progressive

Tha

Iain

gus

a

bhith

air

a

bhith

a'

togail

an

taighe

dà

bhliaddhna.

be

John

towards

tran

be.vn

on

tran

be.vn

at

build.vn

the

house.gen

two

year

'John is about to have been building the house for two years.'

External Links

Grammatical aspect from Wikipedia

• Grammatical (Viewpoint) Aspect

• Lexical Aspect (Aktionsart)