Stative Verbs and Aspect

From: Williams, Wes (Wes.Williams@echostar.com)
Date: Wed Jul 16 1997 - 15:31:17 EDT


> Rolf said:
>
> << "To be" is a state, which by definition continues without an input
> of
> energy. The existence of the Word in the beginning and its continuance
> is
> NOT connected with the aspect of the verb but with its nature as a
> stative. >>
>
> I know that EIMI is stative, but I understand from Porter's definition
> of aspect that continuation (from the viewpoint of the speaker)*is*
> inherent in imperfective aspect. (I do not recall page number but it
> is early in his Idioms book when he justifies his category of
> "imperfective"). I inferred when I read it last year that this applied
> even if that verb is EIMI. I understand the above as saying that EIMI
> ( and by extension some forms of other stative verbs like GINOMAI,
> hUPARCW) cannot have imperfective aspect since it is a stative verb.
> If so, where can I look to find more information on this distinction?
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Sincerely,
> Wes Williams
>
>



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