MNCL2B Temporal Morphology
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Tense is a morphological indication of time. The tenses are:
Whether or not the time indicated is "absolute" (i.e. relative to the time of utterence) or relative, and what the temporal point of reference when relative is, is determined by context and by certain prefinal medial morphemes.
These indicate what point in time that present, past, and future are relative to.
Note that the use of tense and of morphemes that imply tense will affect the context.
There are 5 basic aspects. Each implies some particular tense if no tense morpheme (or other time indication) appears. This is called the "default" tense and is shown in the following table:
The Perfective defaults to past tense because it can't occur with the present tense.
The resultive is also called Perfect or Retrospective and refers to a state resulting from a prior action, while the prospective refers to a state from which a subsequent action should emerge.
Word-stems are divided into 3 classes with respect to these inflections. Each takes a particular aspect if no aspect morpheme appears. This is called the "default" aspect and is shown in the following table:
Root classes are the same as word-stem classes except that there's a subdivision of static verboids called "adjectoids", which are characterized by the property of "degree".
As shown above, static verboids are imperfective only. However, there are affixes which derive dynamic stems from static stems.
Adjectoids represent qualities, which are characterized by the property of "degree": specifically original, opposite, and neutral.
Opposite degree stems are frequently suppletive.
There is also a derivational affix for change toward, or in the original degree of, a quality. This can also be considered a change away from the opposite degree of the quality.
There are some additional properties and affixes which are sometimes referred to as aspects. To avoid confusion, I'll call them "aspectuals". Each of these also has a default aspect, given as follows:
The default aspect for each of the process phases is perfective. The phases are:
Except for continuative, which applies to static stems, all of the above apply to dynamic stems.
The moods are:
The contrafactual mood is indicated by a morpheme -eww- (tag Ctf).
The imperative mood, by changing the final from -e to -ei (tag Imp).
The potential mood is indicated by lengthening and stressing the final vowel. This is usually that of the "actual" mood form (-e) or the infinitive form (-ae), but can be a non-verb final. It may also be used with the imperative final, but with a special interpretation. The tag is :Pot.
MNCL2B A Constructed Language Tempor.TXT J.S.Jones (qiihoskeh) Temporal Morphology Date Started: 2005.Sep.02 Fri Current Date: 2005.Sep.04 Sun
This covers time-related derivation and inflection.
TENSE, ASPECT, AND MOOD
Tenses
Tense is a morphological indication of time. The tenses are:
Tag Morpheme Description === ========= ============================ Prs -iz- absolute or relative Present Pst -ur- absolute or relative Past Fut -ab- absolute or relative Future
Whether or not the time indicated is "absolute" (i.e. relative to the time of utterence) or relative, and what the temporal point of reference when relative is, is determined by context and by certain prefinal medial morphemes.
Temporal Points of Reference
These indicate what point in time that present, past, and future are relative to.
Tag Morpheme Interpretation === ========= =============================================== (default) strictly context-dependent $$$ -$$$- "absolute" (relative to time of utterence) $$$ -$$$- relative to previous verb's time $$$ -$$$- relative to the time of some definite situation
Note that the use of tense and of morphemes that imply tense will affect the context.
Aspects
There are 5 basic aspects. Each implies some particular tense if no tense morpheme (or other time indication) appears. This is called the "default" tense and is shown in the following table:
Tag Morpheme Basic Aspect Default Tense Marked Tenses ==== ======== ============ ============= ============= Gnr -$$$- Tenseless (none) ... Prf -$$$- Perfective past future Ipf -$$$- Imperfective present future, past Pro -$$$- Prospective present future, past Ret -$$$- Resultive present future, past
The Perfective defaults to past tense because it can't occur with the present tense.
The resultive is also called Perfect or Retrospective and refers to a state resulting from a prior action, while the prospective refers to a state from which a subsequent action should emerge.
Word-stems are divided into 3 classes with respect to these inflections. Each takes a particular aspect if no aspect morpheme appears. This is called the "default" aspect and is shown in the following table:
Word-stem Class Default Aspect Marked Aspects ================ ============== ==================================== dynamic verboids perfective imperfective, resultive, prospective static verboids imperfective ... nominoids tenseless ...
Root classes are the same as word-stem classes except that there's a subdivision of static verboids called "adjectoids", which are characterized by the property of "degree".
As shown above, static verboids are imperfective only. However, there are affixes which derive dynamic stems from static stems.
Tag Morpheme Name Description === ======== =========== ======================= Inc -$$$- Inchoative entry to a state Trm -$$$- Terminative exit from a state Via -$$$- Viative? passage through a state
Degree
Adjectoids represent qualities, which are characterized by the property of "degree": specifically original, opposite, and neutral.
Tag Morpheme Description === ======== =============== Opp -$$$- Opposite degree Neu -$$$- Neutral degree
Opposite degree stems are frequently suppletive.
There is also a derivational affix for change toward, or in the original degree of, a quality. This can also be considered a change away from the opposite degree of the quality.
Tag Morpheme Name Description === ======== ========= ================================= Evo -$$$- Evolutive change toward the original degree
Aspectuals
There are some additional properties and affixes which are sometimes referred to as aspects. To avoid confusion, I'll call them "aspectuals". Each of these also has a default aspect, given as follows:
Tag Morpheme Aspectual Name Default Aspect ==== ======== ================ ============== Habt -$$$- habitual imperfective Iter -$$$- iterative imperfective Cont -$$$- continuative (?) imperfective
The default aspect for each of the process phases is perfective. The phases are:
Tag Morpheme Process Phase Name ==== ======== =============================== Incp -$$$- inceptive Paus -$$$- pausative Rsmt -$$$- resumptive (need a better term) Cess -$$$- cessative (or completive)
Except for continuative, which applies to static stems, all of the above apply to dynamic stems.
Moods
The moods are:
- Actual (or indicative)
- Potential (or subjunctive)
- Contrafactual
- Imperative
The contrafactual mood is indicated by a morpheme -eww- (tag Ctf).
The imperative mood, by changing the final from -e to -ei (tag Imp).
The potential mood is indicated by lengthening and stressing the final vowel. This is usually that of the "actual" mood form (-e) or the infinitive form (-ae), but can be a non-verb final. It may also be used with the imperative final, but with a special interpretation. The tag is :Pot.
