In linguistics, semelfactive is a class of aktionsart (verb aspects that reflect the temporal flow of the denoted event, lexically incorporated into the verb's root itself rather than grammatically expressed by inflections or auxiliary verbs), first posited by Bernard Comrie[1] in addition to Activity, Accomplishment, Achievement, and State. The event represented by a semelfactive verb is punctual (instantaneous, momentive), perfective (treated as a unitary whole with no explicit internal temporal structure), and telic (having a boundary out of which the activity cannot be said to have taken place or continue). Semelfactive verbs include "blink", "sneeze", and "knock".
References [edit]
- ^ Bernard Comrie, 1976. Aspect. Cambridge University Press.
Further reading [edit]
- Carlota Smith, 1991. The parameter of aspect. Kluwer.
|
|
|
| Complete vs. incomplete |
|
|
| Generic vs. episodic |
|
|
| Beginning vs. ending |
|
|
| Relative time |
|
|
|
#Lexical aspects. Grammatical aspects unmarked.
|
|
