Czech without aspect:Marrying cognitive schemas with functional representations

Dominik Lukešdominik@dominiklukes.net

MetaphorHacker.net@TechCzech

The nature of constructional meaning and constructional inventory

Je český vid jako Ježíšek?

A joke...

A: Tak jsme došli. [So we’ve arrived]

B: …..

A: Tak jsme došli.[So we’ve arrived]

B: Ahoj Babi! [Hello Granny!]

To be revisited but now let’s look at

The traditional approach to Czech aspect through maximally general meaning.

Croft, p44. 2012

A new approach to Czech without aspect

Czech has three event profiles (aspects) : perfective (profiles event as a completed whole with no time span), imperfective (profiles events in progress without reference to beginning or end but definite time span) and repetitive (profiles whole events repeated).

Only verbs of motion have special forms for all three aspects. Most other verbs use the same form for imperfective and repetitive aspect.

Aspect mostly occurs with a tense (with the exception of nouns formed from verbs – boření vs. zboření, infinitives, etc.).

If the three aspects are combined with the three tenses, Czech can be said to have 8 tenses (3×3‑1 - perfective cannot combine with the present tense).

Each of these new tenses has specific functions which do not necessarily compute from when definitions of the aspect and the tense are combined together.

For most purposes, Czech can be treated as if it didn’t have an aspect at all. And can still be compared favourably with English 14 tenses.

For most purposes, Czech can be treated as if it didn’t have an aspect at all. And can still be compared favourably with English 14 tenses.

Perfective Imperfective RepetitivePast Form: -l form of perfective

verbs . Meaning: Actions completed in the past (often only happening once).

Form: -l form of imperfective verbs.Meaning: Actions happening for a certain time/in parallel in the past.

Form: -l form of imperfective verbs.Meaning: Habitual or repeated actions in the past.

Present Form: Conjugated form of imperfective verbs.Meaning: Actions happening now.

Form: Conjugated form of imperfective verbs.Meaning: Repeated, habitual actions in the present.

Future Form: Conjugated form of perfective verbs.Meaning: Future completed, unrepeated actions.

Form: budu + infinitive of imperfective verbs.Meaning: Future continuous actions.

Form: budu + infinitive of imperfective verbs.Meaning: Future repeated, habitual actions.

Event types

Past Perfective

Past Imperfective

Past Repetitive

Present Ipf.

Present Rpt.

Future Perf.

Future Ipf.

Future Rpt.

Tense Event Profile Schemas

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

This is not enough, aspect not only never occurs without tense, it also never appears outside some modal context.

Event structurespace

Tense/ Time

Aspect Modality

Present Future Past Statement

Condition

Emphasis

Disapproval Command

Warning Question

Narration

Habit

Completion

Repetition

Continuation

Possibility

Enumeration Experience

Historicization

Linearity

Temporality

Iterativity

Determinedness

willingness vs. likes/dislikes (rád to udělám – rád to dělám)

habit vs. attitude/emphasis (vždycky sem chodí – vždycky [si] sem přijde)

experience vs. current state (už jsem řídil auto – auto už řídím rok)

prohibition vs. warning (nesedej si na to – nesedni si na to)

life experience vs. remembered experience (já jsem do školy chodil –včera jsem šel do školy dvakrát)

Add it all together and you get Halliday’s functionalism:

PAST Perfectiveconstructions Accomplished activity in the (recent)

past (with už [already])Ten dopis jsem už napsal. (I’ve already written the letter.)Domácí úkol už jsem udělal. (I’ve already done my homework.)

Completed condition for future or action or state (with jestli or pokud)

Jestli to udělal, bude mít hodně peněz.(If he has done it, he will have lots of money.)

Interruption to an ongoing activity (expressed by past imperfective)

Díval jsem se na televizi [ipf.], když zazvonil telefon.(I was watching TV, when the phone rang.)

Departure for further activity (often beginning with když)

Když jsem se nasnídal, šel jsem do školy.(When I[’d] had my breakfast, I went to school.)

Enumerated accomplishment in the past

Přečetl tu knihu třikrát.(He read the book twice.)Několikrát vylezl na Sněžku.(He climbed Sněžka several times.)

PAST ImperfectiveConstructions

Parallel continuous actions in the past (Narrative) (often with zatímco [while])

Ongoing actions in the past interrupted by a perfective action (often with když [when])

Včera večer Petr vařil večeři a zpíval si.(Last night Peter was cooking dinner, and singing.)

Díval jsem se na televizi, když zazvonil telefon [pf].(I was watching TV, when the phone rang.)

Action continuing for a period of time in the past

Včera jsem se díval na televizi od osmi do desíti.(Yesterday, I was watching TV from 8 to 10.)

Recent and/or remembered experience (can be enumerated, often in questions)

Četl jsi tu knihu? (Did you read the book?) Díval jsem se na to dvakrát. (I watched it twice.)

Sudden perception or realization [ADV] Přišel a viděl.(He came and he saw.)

Najednou cítil, že ho někdo sleduje.(Suddenly, he felt that someone is watching him.)

Emphatic questions about the source/producer (optional) [ADV]

Kdo ti šil ten svetr? (Who sowed the sweater for you?)

Kdo ti to říkal?(Who told you that?)

PAST RepetitiveConstructions

Repeated action in the past Chodil jsem do školy každý den po tři roky.(For three years, I went to school every day.)

Domácí úkoly jsem si dělal každý den. (I did my homework every day.)

Už tenkrát si děti pravidelně čistily zuby.(Even then, children brushed their teeth

regularly.)

Life experience (with už) Petr to už dělal. (Petr has done it before.)

Do školy jsem chodil.(I’ve attended school.)

Už jsem řídil auto.(I’ve driven a car before.)

PRESENT Imperfective Construcitons

Narrative of present action (Commentary)

Olda právě vchází do domu.(Olda is entering the building.)Novák střílí a dává gól.(Novák shoots, and he scores!)

Future timetable Autobus odjíždí zítra v jednu hodinu odpoledne.(The bus leaves tomorrow at one pm.)

Historical narrative [ADV]

Karel IV. zakládá univerzitu v roce 1348.(Karel IV. founds the university in 1348.)

PRESENT Repetitiveconstructions

Personal habit Ruce si myji vždy před jídlem.(I always wash my hands before meals.)

Present result of continuing past action Bydlíme v Praze už pět let.(We’ve been living in Prague for 5 years now.)

Ability to do something Hrajete na piáno?(Do/Can you play the piano?)

Likes and dislikes (with rád, ráda, rádi) Rád chodím do divadla, ale nerad hraju fotbal.(I like going to the theater, but I don’t like playing football.)

Statement of (scientific) fact [ADV] Ptáci odlétají na podzim.(Birds fly away in the fall.)

Voda se vaří při 100 stupních.(Water boils at 100 degrees.)

Prohibitions and negative imperatives [ADV]

Ať si sem nesedá.(Let him not sit here.)Nezpívej tady.

(Don’t sing here.)Tady se chodí pomalu.

(One walks slowly here.)

FUTURE PerfectiveConstructions Statement of plan Zítra ráno vstanu a uvařím si kávu. (Tomorrow

morning, I’ll get up and make some coffee.)

Condition for future action/prediction of result of completion with až (when)

Až to udělá, bude mít volno. (When he does this, he’ll have time off.)

Instructions Nejdřív uvaříme rýži a potom nakrájíme zeleninu. (First, we cook the rice and then we dice the vegetables.)

Emphatic prohibitions/warnings with ať [ADV]

Ať si na to nikdo nesedne.(Let nobody sit on this.)

Emphatic historical narrative (combined with imperfective) [ADV]

A pak mu Pepa jednu vrazí a spadnou na zem, a … (And then Pepa smacks him, they fall on the ground and …)

Polite acceptance / expression of willingness (with rád) [ADV]

Rád přijdu zítra na večeři.(I will be happy to come to dinner tomorrow.)

Repeated action with (often negative) emphasis [ADV]

On si sem klidně každé ráno přijde a sedne si na židli. He will come here every morning without so much as by your leave and sit on the chair.)

Emphatic plan for enumerated future action [ADV]

Příští rok půjdu do kina alespoň jednou týdně.(Next year, I will go see a movie at least once a week.)

FUTURE Imperfective ConstrucitonsFuture parallel or interrupted

actionVy budete vařit polévku a my budeme

připravovat salát. (You’ll be cooking the soup and we’ll be preparing the salad.)

Plan for a block of time Zítra se budu učit od jedné do dvou.(Tomorrow, I’ll study from one to two.)Příští rok budeme celé léto cestovat.

(Next year, we’ll spend the whole summer traveling.)

Background of future action with když and až, zatímco

Když bude psát úkol, bude mu hrát hudba.(While he[’ll be] is doing the homework, the music will be playing.)

Až bude psát úkol, nebude s nikým mluvit.(When he’s writing his homework, he won’t speak to anybody.)

FUTURE Repetitive Construcitons

Future repeated action (Condition)

Příští rok budu každý týden chodit do kina.(Next year, I will go to the movies every week.)

Time non-specific future wish [ADV]

Snad příští rok nebude tolik pršet.(Hopefully, next year, it won’t rain so much.)

Příští týden budu více cvičit.(I’ll exercise more next week.)

Analytic / pedagogic advantages:

1. Verbs of motions stop posing difficulties2. -va- infix drops out of the aspect system as a separate construction3. Czech can be more easily compared with English

English with aspect Aspect\Tense Past Present Future

Simple V2ndHe swam.

V1stHe swims./I swim.

will + V1stHe will swim.

Continuous to be2nd + VingHe was swimming.

to be + VingHe is swimming.

will + be + VingHe will be swimming.

Perfect Simple had + V3rdHe had swum.

to have + V3rdHe has swum.

will + have + V3rdHe will have swum.

Continuoushad + been + Ving

He had been swimming.

to have + been + Ving

He has been swimming.

will + have + been + Ving

He will have been swimming.

Including “going to” future, there are 14 tenses in English. These can all be active or passive doubling the number of separate forms to 28.

Czech English correspondence

Czech Englishtense – tense present imperfective present continuous

present simple

past perfective past simple (cont.)present perfect simplepast perfect

function – function see below for 1-1present narrative (pr. i.) present narrative (pr.pro.)

commentary (pr. smp.)

future timetable future timetable (pr. smp.)future time-specific plan

(pr.pr.)

English Czech correspondence

English Czechtense – tense present continuous present imperfective

past simple past perfectivepast imperfectivepast repetitive

function – function experience (pres. pf.) experience (past ipf.)

parallel actions (progr.) parallel actions (ipf.)

interrupting act. (simp.) interrupting action (pf.)

scientific fact (pr.simp) fact (pr. ipf.)emphatic fact (pr.pf.)

Verbs of MotionVerbs

Full: go, fly, crawl, run, carry, lead, chase, pullPartial: swim, skip, grow

Grammatical specificsFuture formationPrefixationTwo roots

on foot vs. by vehiclePresence in many lexical entries15 * 20 = 300

Verbs of MotionImperfective Repetitive

jít chodit to go (on foot)

jet jezdit to go (by vehicle)

běžet běhat to run

letět létat to fly

vést vodit to lead

nést nosit to carry (in arms/on foot)

vézt vozit to carry (in a vehicle)

hnát honit to chase

táhnout tahat to pull, drag

lézt lézt to crawl

The Prefix Hub

JÍT ujít

najít

odejít nadejít podejít

rozejít

přijít

projít vyjít

vejít zajít

dojít

pojít

sejít přejít

obejít

Iterativity and habituality traditionally considered on aspect axis but in fact a mostly modal distinction.

dělat – dělávat (modality) vs. dělat – dělat (aspect)chodit – chodívat (modality) vs. jít – chodit (aspect)číst – čítat (modality) vs. číst – číst (aspect)

Affective reduplication: číst – čítávat – čítávávat – čítávávávávávávat

Verbs of motion in aspect

jít chodit

přicházet přijít

Perfective Imperfective Repetitive

přicházet přicházet

jít přijít

Pedagogic implicationsMatch adverbials with verbs

1. právě teď a. najdu2. zítra b. odcházím3. občas c. přijdu4. už d. nacházím5. až e. přijel jsem

Guess tense/aspect and function of these sentences(draw a timeline when in doubt):

1. Ráno snídám v 7 hodin.2. Už jsi viděl film Muži v černém II?3. Když mi včera volal Milan, zrovna jsem večeřel.4. Zítra půjdeme nakupovat a koupíme si počítač.5. Až napíšu dopis, budu asi hodinu cvičit.

Back to the joke and constructions...

form:meaningorganized in an inventoryno pragmatics vs. semanticsno rules vs wordsmeanings organized through frames (schemas, metaphors, rich images, scenarios, etc.)combined through the process of conceptual integration

[MEANING]Time location: Immediate past>PresentEvent status: CompletedSpeaker attitude: Negative (semantic prosody)Communicative intent: Announcement of failure

[FORM]Verb form: -l marking (past prototype)Verb version: completion prefix (perfective prototype)Intonation/stress pattern: pattern (complaint/frustration prototype)Textual context: particle inventory {tak, no tak, tak to, tak teda, no a}Usage context: conversationMedium: speech or simulated speech

Tak jsme došli. < Failure

[MEANING]Time location: Immediate past>PresentEvent status: Completed*Speaker attitude: Positive*Communicative intent: Announcement of failure [announcement]

[FORM]Verb form: -l marking (past prototype)Verb version: completion prefix (perfective prototype)*Textual context: particle inventory {tak, no tak, tak to, tak teda, no a}*Intonation/stress pattern: pattern (statement)*Usage context: conversation, [propositional neutral narrative]*Medium: [written], speech or simulated speech

Tak jsme došli. <*Completion

[MEANING]Time location: Repeated presentEvent status: IndeterminateSpeaker attitude: Emphatic (negative semantic prosody)Communicative intent: Narrative

[FORM]Verb form: inflection (present prototype)Verb version: perfective (perfective prototype)Intonation/stress pattern: pattern (emphatic narrative)Textual context: profiled agent {on, ona, etc.}Usage context: conversationMedium: speech or simulated speech

On sem přijde, sedne si, a... < (annoying) repetition

On sem přijde, sedne si, a... < (annoying) repetition*On sem přichází, sedá si…*Slunce vyjde, probudí mě a zajde (každé ráno)

Different levels of schematicity and knowledge of the world are required.

*?They build a statue next to my house. [dig a ditch, build a bridge]They run the marathon next to my house.

I was about to break up with him and then he goes and buys me beautiful flowers. [Complaint!]We're having dinner and she gives me flowers. [Narrative]*Look at this. She gives me flowers right now. [Description of current events] (Change orientation and intonation: 'Would you look at that. She gives me flowers. Right now?!)

I had a great view. And guess what they do! They build a statue next to my house.* Come quick. Look out the window. They run a marathon next to my house.

What is the abstract (schematic) aspectual meaning?

Where is this?

It is more than just the event schemas. Fundamental event profile orientation of the generic space serving as the source for constructional blends involving verbs.

Generic space

Integrated space

Tak jsme došli < Failure

jít[F:M]dojít[F:M]tak[F:M]

This mental space orientation needs to work within the constraints of the constructional inventory. Otherwise we would not get gaps in competence from native speakers such as.

I hit him. ?Who did you hit?He came. *Whom came?

Czech trying to learn Russian aspect vs. American trying to learn Russian aspect.

Czech trying to learn English indefinite article vs. Kennedy trying to learn German indefinite usage for 'a Londoner' vs. '*ein Berliner‘.

The existence of the joke also seems to point to some general aspectual meaning. BUT, this is in itself another construction which uses hypostasis to profile other potential meanings.

A. 'My father died.'B. 'I'm sorry'C. 'It's not your fault.'

A. 'Why don't you love me anymore.'B. 'But just yesterday, I told you I loved you.'A. 'You see, loved. Not love anymore.'

'We are so shallow. We ask people 'How are you' and just move on.'

A: The window broke.B: It didn't break itself. (vs. the computer broke)

Conclusions

Consistent treatment of constructions as form-meaning pairs organized in a patterned inventory is important.

Aspect interacts with time, modality, collocations, etc. and cannot be studied entirely in isolation.

In fact, for many purposes aspect is not even a necessary explanatory concept.

Thank youdominik@dominiklukes.nethttp://metaphorhacker.net@techczech