Re: Speak, Mnemosyne

2007/11/18, R A Brown <ray@...>:
>
> The imperfective is really a superordinate category and includes
> aspectual distinction habitual, progressive & iterative. So it could
> imply 'continue speaking' or it could be 'speak now and speak this again
> & again' etc.
>
> The word 'aorist' literally means "unbounded" and this seems to me to
> correspond very well with Trask's definitive of 'perfective': "A
> superordinate aspectual category involving a lack of explicit reference
> to the internal temporal consistency of the situation."
>
> So it would be the imperative if your concern was to get Mnemosyne
> speaking now without bothering to concern yourself whether you want her
> to keep on speaking or speak again on other occasions, etc.
>
> Yes, I agree, the imperfective would seem more appropriate.
>
> --
> Ray
Hmm this is most interesting. In fact, this is the first time that I
have heard of there being separate imperatives for different "aspects"
in Ancient Greek, or for that matter in any language. Or perhaps I
have and it is only the suppletion in this case that is fascinating me
so, but I digress. (What is internal temporal consistency, actually?
The term flies over my head.)

So we've got Εἶπε, Μνημοσύνη in Ancient Greek, which then leads me to
my next question -- what is the cognate, if there is one, of εἶπε(ιν?)
in other IE languages?

Eugene

Reply