TYPOLOGY: (conlangs and natlangs): "Tense-Prominent" vs "Aspect-Prominent"
| From: | Eldin Raigmore <eldin_raigmore@...> |
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| Date: | Wednesday, August 16, 2006, 0:05 |
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It seems that some languages nearly require nearly every verb -- or, at
least, the nucleus of nearly every main clause -- to be inflected for
Tense.
For lack of knowing the real terminology, (if there even is any), let me
call these "Tense-Prominent Languages".
It seems that some languages nearly require nearly every verb -- or, at
least, the nucleus of nearly every main clause -- to be inflected for
Aspect.
For lack of knowing the real terminology, (if there even is any), let me
call these "Aspect-Prominent Languages".
It seems several "Aspect-Prominent" Languages are _not_ "Tense-Prominent".
It seems several "Tense-Prominent" Languages are _not_ "Aspect-Prominent".
How about your conlangs? Would you say they are:
1. Very Tense-Prominent but not very Aspect-Prominent?
2. Very Aspect-Prominent but not very Tense-Prominent?
3. Or that they are both quite Tense-Prominent and quite Aspect-Prominent?
3a. Nevertheless, rather more Tense-Prominent than Aspect-Prominent?
3b. Nevertheless, rather more Aspect-Prominent than Tense-Prominent?
3c. About equally Aspect-Prominent as Tense-Prominent?
4. Would you say they are neither very Tense-Prominent nor very Aspect-
Prominent?
4a. Nevertheless, rather more Tense-Prominent than Aspect-Prominent?
4b. Nevertheless, rather more Aspect-Prominent than Tense-Prominent?
4c. About equally Aspect-Prominent as Tense-Prominent?
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That might not be all there is to it at all.
Languages with evidentials may be "Mood-Prominent", or at
least "Evidential-Prominent", rather than either Aspect-Prominent or Tense-
Prominent.
Does your conlang require that any speaker mention how he/she knows what
he/she is saying happened, but hardly ever require at that they mention
when it happened (or how often it happened, or how long it took to happen,
or whatever)?
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Whatever your answers to the above questions, can you also answer this one?
Where did you get that idea to put it in your conlang?
Is your conlang a lot like any natlang or any group of natlangs in that
way?
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Thanks,
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eldin
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