Outlines a system that modifies, and expands on, PTQ ("The Proper Treatment of Quantification in English" by R. Montague), in order to include an analysis of the present and past tenses, and of the perfect and progressive aspects. Also analyzes temporal adverbs and their interactions with tense and aspect. (MES)

The construction "won't" is ambiguous: it can be a prediction by the speaker based on his assumptions, or it may be a report of what the expressed subject of "won't" said. "I talked to them and they won't come" could mean "I predict they won't come" or "they refused to come." (PJM)

Shows that the German "perfekt" has a uniform temporal meaning that results systematically from the interaction of its three components--finiteness marking, auxiliary, and past participle--and that the two readings are the consequence of a structural ambiguity. This analysis also predicts the properties of other participle constructions, in…

Shows that there are at least two types of gapping in natural languages: canonical gapping and LPD. Argues that Chinese has some gapping sentences that result from ATB movement from V to "v." Data from Chinese affirm Johnson's (1994) theory of gapping that gapping occurs in those languages only with verb movement. (Author/VWL)

Accounts for the observation that in a broad range of genetically unrelated languages two classes of direct objects are found that are based on their semantic and syntactic properties. Specifically, splits are found in case marking, object position, and the ability of the object to trigger verb agreement. Proposes that this split in object…

Examines the relationship between the polysemic structure of main verbs and their light counterparts. Suggests that light verbs are systematically related to their heavy counterparts in retaining the force-dynamic properties of the heavy sense, but that the conceptual domain in which that force-dynamic structure applies shifts from the physical to…

Presents evidence based on experimental data from Western European languages that there is orderly variation in the choice of perfective auxiliary with transitive verbs. Specifically, auxiliary selection is sensitive to a hierarchy of aspectual/thematic verb types: some verbs require a given auxiliary categorically; others allow both auxiliaries…

Prepositional phrase attachment was investigated in temporarily ambiguous sentences. Both attachment site (noun phrase or verb phrase) and argument status (argument or adjunct) were manipulated to test the hypothesis that arguments are processed differently than adjuncts. Contrary to this hypothesis, some previous research suggested that arguments…

In this article, characteristics of Japanese causative constructions are reviewed and discussed based on an article by Masayoshi Shibatani (1976), who has worked extensively with the Japanese causative. First, the nature and definitions of the causative are discussed. Then, the types of Japanese causative are presented; finally, a categorization…

One characteristic of causative verbs in French, Spanish, and Italian is that the subject of the embedded verb appears to the right of its object (if it has one). A second distinguishing property is the Case that appears on the subject embedded under the causative verb. It is always either accusative or dative, depending on the transitivity of the…

This paper completes a description of Proto-Algic morphology begun by the author with a description of the verb (Proulx, 1985) and of pronouns (Proulx, 1991) by focusing on Proto-Algic noun structure and inflection. In Proto-Algic, a primary noun stem ends in a derivational final, a secondary one in a nominalizer. Both usually resemble…

A discussion of verb intransitivization in English grammar looks at different verb classes that allow or do not allow this phenomenon. The semantic primitive of involvement is a phenomenon that attempts to find related features in sentences where intransitivization occurs. Semantic involvement patterns are assigned in the subject or direct object…

To help students learn the imperfect and perfect aspects of Russian verbs, principles of math and physics can be utilized. This Orbit-Trajectory-Stasis method presents verbs of motion by avoiding tense, and suggests new verbal configurations for exploring both conceptual and concrete aspects. Appendices further illustrate the approach. (PMJ)

Discusses future-tense form possibilities in English and their pedagogical implications. Six possibilities are discussed: (1) the future tense proper, signalled by "if" + present or mental state verbs; (2) declaration of intent, with "I'll" or "we'll"; (3) "Shall I/we" questions; (4) "will you"…

Paper examines interaction of semantic contributions of aspect markers "-guo" and "-le"; negative adverbs "bu" and "mei"; and two classes of verbs. Proposed analysis systematically accounts for temporal orientation of members of several classes of sentences in terms of aspectual contributions made by two aspect markers, negative adverbs, verbs,…