A structural account of the difference between achievements and accomplishments: evidence from Changsha Xiang Chinese

Lu, M.; Lipták, A.K.; Sybesma, R.P.E.

Abstract This paper offers an analysis of ka41, an aspectual element in ChangshaXiang Chinese. It is argued that this element occupies a position in the inneraspectualstructure of the clause, between the higher aspectual marker ta21 and thelower elements expressing a lexical result (like clean in wash clean). On the basis ofits co-occurrence with various verb types, we treat ka41 as an achievement marker:when present, it blocks any reading in which the denoted event proceeds along amulti-point scale, allowing only the instantaneous, two-point scale reading in whichthe beginning and the endpoint of the event coincide. On the basis of its syntacticdistribution we argue that the syntactic position ka41 occupies is an intermediateaspectual projection (Asp2P) in the inner aspect domain, which is sandwichedbetween the lowest inner aspectual projection dedicated to telicity and the highestone signaling perfectivity (or realization of the end point). We review the implicationsof the...Show moreAbstract This paper offers an analysis of ka41, an aspectual element in ChangshaXiang Chinese. It is argued that this element occupies a position in the inneraspectualstructure of the clause, between the higher aspectual marker ta21 and thelower elements expressing a lexical result (like clean in wash clean). On the basis ofits co-occurrence with various verb types, we treat ka41 as an achievement marker:when present, it blocks any reading in which the denoted event proceeds along amulti-point scale, allowing only the instantaneous, two-point scale reading in whichthe beginning and the endpoint of the event coincide. On the basis of its syntacticdistribution we argue that the syntactic position ka41 occupies is an intermediateaspectual projection (Asp2P) in the inner aspect domain, which is sandwichedbetween the lowest inner aspectual projection dedicated to telicity and the highestone signaling perfectivity (or realization of the end point). We review the implicationsof the analysis for the aspectual domain of Mandarin clauses and point outthat the intermediate inner aspectual projection (Asp2P) we introduce for Changshaappears to be a suitable syntactic position for the structural analysis of the small setof grammaticalized items generally known as “Phase complements” as well.Show less

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A structural account of the difference between achievements and accomplishments: evidence from Changsha Xiang Chinese