ILMIY VA PROFESSIONAL TA’LIM JARAYONIDA MULOQOT, FAN VA MADANIYATLAR
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Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages
ASPECTUAL FEATURES OF ACTIVITY VERBS
Daminova Orzigul Bektosh qizi
SamDCHTI tadqiqotchisi
Abstract.
This article explores the aspectual properties of action verbs, focusing on their
lexical aspect, argument structures, and thematic roles. Action verbs express dynamic processes
and play a crucial role in sentence interpretation. By analyzing their aspectual behavior,
agentivity, and event structure, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of verb
classification and meaning representation in natural language.
Keywords:
action verbs, lexical aspect, telicity, agentivity, thematic roles, event structure.
Introduction
Aspect in linguistics refers to the way in which the internal temporal structure of an event
is presented. In English, aspect is primarily expressed through verb forms and constructions,
such as the progressive and perfect aspects. Action verbs, which denote dynamic processes or
events, exhibit different aspectual features based on how they interact with time, duration,
completion, and repetition. This article explores the aspectual characteristics of action verbs,
with a focus on their classification, interaction with grammatical aspect, and implications for
meaning in discourse. The fact that verbs have tenses indicates that considerations involving the
concept of time are relevant to their use. These considerations are not limited merely to the
obvious discrimination between past,present,and future; there is another,a more subtle
dependence on that concept: the use of a verb may also suggest the particular way in which that
verb presupposes and involves the notion of time (Z. Vendler, pp-97–121)
Early researches focused on the identifying morphological features of aspect like in
Slavic languages, later studies have shifted towards classifying aspectual meanings (Andersson
S.G. 1972). In the 1960s-70s of the last century, the aspectual classification proposed by Z.
Vendler became the basis for studying aspectual semantics in the English language. Researches,
which are being conducted on aspectuality in English, are precisely adopted according to this
classification. Vendler’s classification focused on the following distinctions of verb semantics:
1. Processes that consist of two homogeneous phases and are associated with an indefinite time
frame, verbs and verb phrases denoting continuous action, belong to the category of
Activities
.
Example: running; 2. Verbs and verb phrases used to express the result of an initial process
within a specific period belong to the category of
Accomplishments
. Example: running a mile; 3.
Instantaneous actions associated with a specific time frame, which indicate an event with a clear
endpoint, belong to the category of
Achievements
. Example: reaching the top; 4. Continuous
states that exist over an indefinite period belong to the category of
States
. Example: to know.
Vendler’s classification is directly conducted on the predicate structure. According to the
quantification characteristics of a verb’s argument structure, it can belong to one of the four
categories. Vendler’s classification was further developed by M. Krifka, D.R. Dowty and G.
Verkuyl (Dowty D.R. 1991: 547-619)
Activity verbs constitute a fundamental category in lexical semantics. Unlike stative
verbs, which describe conditions or states, action verbs depict dynamic processes involving
movement, change, or intentional activity. Their semantic structure determines their syntactic
behavior, influencing verb valency, argument realization, and event structure. Understanding the
semantic properties of action verbs is essential in linguistic research, particularly in studies of
aspectuality, argument structure, and verb classification. Activity verbs describe continuous,
atelic processes without a defined endpoint. These verbs require an agent actively performing an
action.
Examples: run, swim, walk, talk, play, jump
“I was swimming along, and I heard a noise” (Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn, pp 50-70).
ILMIY VA PROFESSIONAL TA’LIM JARAYONIDA MULOQOT, FAN VA MADANIYATLAR
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In order to analyze aspectual features of this activity verb, we need to consider how the verb
expresses the temporal structure of the action whether they are ongoing, completed and habitual.
The verb swim does not have a natural endpoint.
Progressive Aspect: The use of the past continuous (was swimmin) indicates that the
action of swimming was ongoing at a specific time in the past. It emphasizes the duration of the
action rather than its completion.
Temporal Structure: The action is portrayed as being in progress when another event
("heard a noise") occurred. This creates a sense of simultaneity-the swimming was happening
while something else took place.
Imperfective Aspect: The progressive form is a type of imperfective aspect, which
focuses on the internal structure of the action (its ongoing nature) rather than its beginning or end.
Telicity and Agentivity in Action Verbs
In linguistic aspect theory, telicity and agentivity play crucial roles in classifying and
understanding activity verbs, which describe ongoing, dynamic actions. Below is an analysis of
these two concepts in relation to activity verbs.
Telicity refers to whether an action has a natural endpoint (telic) or not (atelic). Activity
verbs are typically atelic, meaning they do not have a built-in endpoint unless modified by
additional linguistic elements. Vendler’s (1957) Classification
Vendler’s seminal work on verb classification distinguishes activities from other verb classes
(states, accomplishments, and achievements). Activities, such as run and swim, are inherently
atelic, meaning they lack a natural endpoint. However, they can become telic when combined
with goal-oriented phrases (e.g, run to the store). Smith (1991) argues that aspectual shifts in
activity verbs occur when additional linguistic elements impose a boundary on the action.
Prepositional phrases, adverbials, and object selection can contribute to telicity. For example:
She ran for an hour (atelic, no inherent endpoint).
She ran to the finish line (telic, goal-directed).
She swims well (atelic, no inherent endpoint).
"Swim across the river" (telic).
Agentivity in Activity Verbs
Agentivity is a fundamental concept in linguistics, particularly in the study of verbal
semantics and argument structure. Agentivity refers to the degree to which a participant
(typically the subject of a sentence) is perceived as a volitional, intentional, and controlling
entity in an event. Activity verbs, which denote dynamic, ongoing actions (run, sing, build),
often involve a high degree of agentivity. Understanding agentivity in activity verbs is crucial for
unraveling the relationship between semantic roles, syntactic structures, and cognitive
representations. This article examines agentivity as a linguistic and cognitive phenomenon,
focusing on its manifestation in activity verbs. Agentivity is a key component of thematic roles,
particularly the “Agent” role, which is characterized by features such as volition, intention, and
causation. Activity verbs typically assign the Agent role to their subjects, as these verbs describe
actions that are controlled and purposeful. For example, in the sentence “John is running”,
“John” is the Agent who initiates and controls the action. Agentivity is a central feature of
activity verbs, shaping their semantic, syntactic, and cognitive properties.
By examining activity verbs from multiple perspectives, this article underscores its
importance in linguistics. Future research should continue to explore the usage of activity verbs
in Uzbek and English novels.
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