Tense, Aspect and Action: Empirical and Theoretical Contributions to Language Typology (Empirical Approaches to Language Typology [EALT] Book 12)

Research on language universals and research on linguistic typology are not antagonistic, but rather complementary approaches to the same fundamental problem: the relationship between the amazing diversity of languages and the profound unity of language. Only if the true extent of typological divergence is recognized can universal laws be formulated. In recent years it has become more and more evident that a broad range of languages of radically different types must be carefully analyzed before general theories are possible. Typological comparison of this kind is now at the centre of linguistic research. The series empirical approaches to language typology presents a platform for contributions of all kinds to this rapidly developing field. The distinctive feature of the series is its markedly empirical orientation. All conclusions to be reached are the result of a deepened study of empirical data. General problems are focused on from the perspective of individual languages, language families, language groups, or language samples. Special emphasis is given to the analysis of phenomena from little known languages, which shed new light on long-standing problems in general linguistics. The series is open to contributions from different theoretical persuasions. It thus reflects the methodological pluralism that characterizes the present situation. Care is taken that all volumes be accessible to every linguist and, moreover, to every reader specializing in some domain related to human language. A deeper understanding of human language in general, based on a detailed analysis of typological diversity among individual languages, is fundamental for many sciences, not only for linguists. Therefore, this series has proven to be indispensable in every research library, be it public or private, which has a specialization in language and the language sciences. To discuss your book idea or submit a proposal, please contact Birgit Sievert. Preface Introduction: An overview Verbal semantics in Functional Grammar Verbal categories, form—meaning relationships and the English perfect Verbal time reference in English: Structure and functions Russian aspect as different statement models Temporal reference, aspect and actionality: Their neutralization and interactions, mostly exemplified in Italian Change in homogeneity in verbal and nominal reference Did Aktionsart ever “compensate” verbal aspect in Old and Middle French? Some peculiarities of the aspectual system in Hungarian Aspect as boundedness in Finnish From aspect to tense in Lulubo: Morphosyntactic and semantic restructuring in a Central Sudanic language Tense, mood and aspect in Kammu Aspect in Chinese Tense, aspect and actionality in the Ainu language Aleut tenses and aspects The expression of temporal and aspectual relations in Tokelau narratives Ideophones in Sign Language? The place of reduplication in the tense—aspect system of Swedish Sign Language Index of languages Index of names

The series is a platform for contributions of all kinds to this rapidly developing field. General problems are studied from the perspective of individual languages, language families, language groups, or language samples. Conclusions are the result of a deepened study of empirical data. Special emphasis is given to little-known languages, whose analysis may shed new light on long-standing problems in general linguistics.

The aim of this introduction is to give the reader an overview of the contributions included in the present volume.