Tense and aspect in Zhuang : a study of a set of tense and aspect markers

Abstract

In spite of numerous efforts spent on the study tense and aspect, the nature of this linguistic phenomenon is still a topic of much theoretical concern. The present thesis is intended as a contribution to this topic by investigating the tense and aspect system in a particular language-- Zhuang. The research methodology adopted in the present study is that of Anna Wierzbicka's conceptual analysis, although other approaches are taken into consideration. Seven selected aspectualisers are studied in some depth, which cover the entire tense and aspect system. Of the aspectualisers discussed, special emphasis is given to four: lieu, day, kwa and pay. Each item has a distinct semantic feature and favours verbs of different semantic types, which reflects speaker's conceptualization of the event or situation in the real world. The syntax of these aspectualisers has offered insight into, as well as problems for, the analysis of verb phrase. The intricate interaction between the syntax and semantics of each aspectualiser calls for an integrated account of verbal meaning, sentence meaning and discourse meaning. Among points of theoretical interest being discussed are actualization, termination, experiential perfect, structural change of verb serialization involving the scope of temporal-apectual operators and above all, quantification. Quantification is seen as an indispensable component of Zhuang aspect. It is manifested most typically through the use of lexical items --the aspectualiser. The interpretation of aspect in a number of construction types involves the notion of quantification. This indicates that quantification should be included in the domain of aspect To our knowledge, no previous treatment of tense and aspect has ever seriously addressed this point.