Work

(Past) temporal reference in an aspect prominent language

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Akan (Kwa, Niger-Congo) deploys three different temporal markers to express pastness: the final vowel lengthening of the verb (LEN), the prefix 'a'-, and the particle 'ná'. Building on novel fieldwork data, we propose a pronominal analysis for 'ná', viewed as a non-present tense. For 'LEN', we develop a hybrid tense-aspect analysis, with its (past) tense lacking existential closure. By contrast, 'a'- denotes a hybrid perfect with a quantificational tense semantics and an underspecified resultative aspect semantics.

Source: Proceedings of Sinn und Bedeutung

DOI: 10.18148/sub/2024.v28.1109

Authors: Armenante, Giuliano, Lecavelier, Jeanne

Language: English

Topic: Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation

Subfield: Language and Linguistics

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: diamond

OpenAlex ID: W6944098763

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