Date: 05-Dec-2009 From: Paul Peranteau <paulbenjamins.com> Subject: Aspect and the Categorization of States: Roby E-mail this message to a friend
Title: Aspect and the Categorization of States
Subtitle: The case of ser and estar in Spanish
Series Title: Studies in Language Companion Series 114
Published: 2009
Publisher: John Benjamins
http://www.benjamins.com/
Author: David Brian Roby
Electronic: ISBN: 9789027288943 Pages: Price: U.S. $ 135.00
Electronic: ISBN: 9789027288943 Pages: Price: Europe EURO 90.00
Hardback: ISBN: 9789027205810 Pages: Price: Europe EURO 90.00
Hardback: ISBN: 9789027205810 Pages: Price: U.S. $ 135.00
Abstract:
In this work, the Spanish copulae ser and estar are argued to be aspectual morphemes. Their binary opposition reflects the universal aspectual values [±Perfective], which are the same ones overtly expressed by the preterite and imperfect past tense forms in Spanish. It can therefore be shown that different types of states, just like different types of events, can be categorized based on their aspectual composition. Additionally, the inherent semantic differences between events and states can be accounted for by analyzing aspect as applying to events internally and to states externally. A useful resource for the beginning linguist as well as the most seasoned analyst, this work is written in language that is easy to understand while remaining faithful to all of the appropriate relevant technical terminology. Anyone who is seriously interested in exploring why the Spanish verbs ser and estar are used the way they are should read this book.