Article

Name: Perfective and imperfective verb bases in Evenki

Authors: E. L. Rudnitskaya

Institute of Oriental Studies RAS, Moscow, Russia

In the section Морфология

Abstract:

This paper addresses perfective and imperfective verb bases in the Evenki language. This language is characterized by extensive verb derivation, with a specific marker signaling imperfective meaning. A verb stem lacking aspect markers is classified as a perfective base, while a stem incorporating an imperfective marker is classified as an imperfective base. For the aspectual classification of verbs using the method developed by S. G. Tatevosov, these two bases are especially critical and necessary components of the analysis. Analysis using this method requires consideration of the aspectual properties of both perfective and imperfective bases in languages employing specialized aspectual markers, with Evenki being the example of such a language. Syntactic and interpretative testing underpins the aspectual classification, which is predicated on the properties of the two bases. The aspectual classification of verbs includes three primary categories: activities (processes), events, and states. Telicity and stativity constitute the principal parameters of classification. Unlike other languages with established aspectual classifications, including the Tungus language Nanai, Evenki exhibits a scarcity of atelic process verbs due to the near-universal telic interpretation of its perfective base. Additional derivational markers, for example, the durative marker, are also considered. Verb bases incorporating the durative marker may exhibit a process-oriented (imperfective) interpretation, regardless of the presence of an imperfective marker in the base. Hence, applying Tatevosov’s theory to the Evenki language and attempting to manipulate perfective and imperfective bases reveals inherent difficulties that necessitate careful consideration.

Keywords: Evenki, morphology, verb, aspectual marker, aspectual classification

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