Comrie B. Aspect. An Introduction to the Study of Verbal Aspect and
Related Problems. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1976. -
142p.
The aim of the present book is to provide an introduction to verbal aspect and related concepts. It differs from most other books on aspect in that it is not conceed with any one particular language, nor with a comparison of various individual languages, but rather presents aspect as a part of general linguistic theory. Theoretical points are, of course, illustrated throughout with examples from various languages: English, as the language that all readers of the book will have in common; Russian and other Slavonic languages, in view of the importance of data from these languages in the development of the study of aspect, and also as these are the foreign languages most familiar to the author; the Romance languages (in particular, French and Spanish); as well as a variety of other languages, ranging from Greek to Chinese. References are made throughout to descriptive works dealing with the various languages alluded to.
The book does not presuppose any previous knowledge of aspect, although it does assume that the reader has the sort of background that can be expected of someone who has followed an introductory course in general linguistics, or is following such a course, and is prepared to consult other textbooks and reference works for further details of general theoretical points. It does not attempt to put across any one particular current approach to the problem of aspect, although it does aim at inteal consistency, nor does it provide a historical resume of the various approaches that have been proposed. Most of the discussion is cast in the general terms of traditional grammar, paying particular attention to the semantics of aspect. In addition, attention is paid to some of the achievements of the structuralist approach to aspect (especially chapter 6 on markedness), and of the philosophical approach (especially chapter 2 on aspect and inherent meaning). An appendix (appendix B) outlines three recent approaches to the analysis of aspect, to give the reader some idea of current work in this field.
I shall consider the purpose of this book to be fulfilled if it gives its readers a greater awareness of the problem of aspect, and conveys to them the general concepts conceed, even more so if they then go on to apply this knowledge in their work on the languages that particularly interest them.
I am grateful to the following, who either provided me with bibliographic references, volunteered information about the aspectual systems of various languages, answered my more specific questions, or discussed general and specific problems of aspect with me: G. M. Awbery, W. S. Allen, E. W. Browne, M. Harris, M. Ivic, and J. Miller. I am particularly grateful to J. Lyons, who read an earlier draft of this book and made detailed comments on it. The responsibility for accepting or rejecting their suggestions is, of course, my own.
Part of the preparation of this book was carried out while I was a Research Fellow at King's College, Cambridge.
June 1975
Beard Comrie
The aim of the present book is to provide an introduction to verbal aspect and related concepts. It differs from most other books on aspect in that it is not conceed with any one particular language, nor with a comparison of various individual languages, but rather presents aspect as a part of general linguistic theory. Theoretical points are, of course, illustrated throughout with examples from various languages: English, as the language that all readers of the book will have in common; Russian and other Slavonic languages, in view of the importance of data from these languages in the development of the study of aspect, and also as these are the foreign languages most familiar to the author; the Romance languages (in particular, French and Spanish); as well as a variety of other languages, ranging from Greek to Chinese. References are made throughout to descriptive works dealing with the various languages alluded to.
The book does not presuppose any previous knowledge of aspect, although it does assume that the reader has the sort of background that can be expected of someone who has followed an introductory course in general linguistics, or is following such a course, and is prepared to consult other textbooks and reference works for further details of general theoretical points. It does not attempt to put across any one particular current approach to the problem of aspect, although it does aim at inteal consistency, nor does it provide a historical resume of the various approaches that have been proposed. Most of the discussion is cast in the general terms of traditional grammar, paying particular attention to the semantics of aspect. In addition, attention is paid to some of the achievements of the structuralist approach to aspect (especially chapter 6 on markedness), and of the philosophical approach (especially chapter 2 on aspect and inherent meaning). An appendix (appendix B) outlines three recent approaches to the analysis of aspect, to give the reader some idea of current work in this field.
I shall consider the purpose of this book to be fulfilled if it gives its readers a greater awareness of the problem of aspect, and conveys to them the general concepts conceed, even more so if they then go on to apply this knowledge in their work on the languages that particularly interest them.
I am grateful to the following, who either provided me with bibliographic references, volunteered information about the aspectual systems of various languages, answered my more specific questions, or discussed general and specific problems of aspect with me: G. M. Awbery, W. S. Allen, E. W. Browne, M. Harris, M. Ivic, and J. Miller. I am particularly grateful to J. Lyons, who read an earlier draft of this book and made detailed comments on it. The responsibility for accepting or rejecting their suggestions is, of course, my own.
Part of the preparation of this book was carried out while I was a Research Fellow at King's College, Cambridge.
June 1975
Beard Comrie