Investigation of Imperfect Aspect in Kurdish Dialect Based on Sign-base Construction Grammar

Abstract

The present study describes and specifies imperfect aspect in Sourani Kurdish dialect based on sign-based construction grammar. In this paper, firstly imperfective constructions are investigated, then their temporal representation is indicated in sign-based construction grammar. The investigations showed that imperfective constructions in Surani dialect include progressive construction, perfect, habitual, and present tense. Each of these constructions in some way makes events imperfect. In such a way that progressive construction focuses on their intermediate stage when applied to accomplishment and activity events; but highlights the middle phase of the beginning stage of achievement events. This construction also converses semelfactive verbs into a repetitive activity, then selects the middle stages of them. Habitual constructions make all verbs initially turn into repetitive activity, then highlight the middle stages among the events. On the other hand, perfect construction when combined with lexical situations chooses the final phase and thereby turning events into imperfect ones. The present tense also eliminates, in combination with different situations, the final transition or result of events, and represents only the middle stages of events.

Keywords

• imperfect grammatical aspect
• imperfective constructions
• sign-based construction grammar
• temporal representation
• sourani dialect