Tense and aspect

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

This chapter provides a general overview of widespread strategies used by Australian languages to express aspectuo-temporal properties. While the majority of Australian languages demonstrate obligatory inflectional marking within the verbal complex as a core means of aspectuo-temporal expression, the structure of these verbal systems can vary substantially. Through surveying 66 languages, I show the most widespread verbal structures encountered (involving simple and complex predicates, auxiliary verb constructions, and periphrastic and serialised verb constructions), and the inflectional tense/aspect marking systems associated with these. The chapter also highlights particular aspecuto-temporal systems of typological and theoretical interest, including the marking of temporal remoteness distinctions, the use of scalar tense (i.e. where temporal interpretation depends upon different frames of reference/time scales), and the use of serialised verb constructions, verbal reduplication and prosodic lengthening to express aspectual properties. Finally, the chapter concludes with some observations about lexical and discourse structural aspectuo-temporal marking.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Oxford Guide to Australian Languages
EditorsClaire Bowern
PublisherOxford University Press
Chapter32
Pages378-391
Number of pages14
ISBN (Electronic)9780191863615
ISBN (Print) 9780198824978
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 20 Jul 2023
Externally publishedYes

Publication series

NameOxford Guides to the World's Languages

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