The aspectual semantics of the independent subjunctive in Latin

  • Богдан Васильович Чернюх Ivan Franko National University of Lviv (1, Universytetska Str., Lviv, 79000, Ukraine) http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0927-0512
Keywords: Latin language, subjunctive, aspectual semantics, prospectivity, retrospectivity, perfectivity, imperfectivity, Latin language, subjunctive, aspectual semantics, prospectivity, retrospectivity, perfectivity, imperfectivity

Abstract

The temporalization of the Latin verb system contributed to the fact that in the historical time the subjunctive primarily functions in the plane of modality and temporality, while the aspectual component is mentioned only in passing. Thereby the question of the aspectual semantics of the forms of the subjunctive and its relation to the old aspect-modal and later temporal-modal types of values arises. The analysis of the aspectual semantics of the independent subjunctive in Latin allows to confirm that unlike the indicative mood with its opposition of imperfecum and perfectum tenses, there is no such regular one in subjunctive. The above mentioned opposition in subjunctive is occasional strongly depending on actional semantics of predicates and character of context. The atelic predicates tend to express imperfectivity, and the telic ones have mainly perfective meaning. Coniunctivus perfecti and plusquamperfecti of atelic predicates allows double interpretation i.e. limitative or ingressive one. The aspectual distinction of infectum and perfectum forms of subjunctive sometimes seems to be blurred. It is typical for the predicates with similar actional features as well as for the verb “esse”. In such a case the telic predicates stress the seme of completivity, while the atelic ones the seme of limitativity. These factors affect deeply the members of infectum subsystem, which are aspectual-neutral and can have imperfective as well as perfective meaning. The members of perfectum subsystem on the contrary are perfective marked. They express ceased situations which depending on context can be interpreted as punctive, inceptive or limitative ones.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Богдан Васильович Чернюх, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv (1, Universytetska Str., Lviv, 79000, Ukraine)

Doctor of Philology, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Classical Philology

References

Література

Bennet Ch. E. Syntax of Early Latin. – Vol. I. The Verb /Charles E. Bennet. – Boston: Allyn and Bacon; Leipzig: Theodor Stauffer, 1910. – XIX, 506 p.

Calboli G. L’emploi des modes dans le latin tardif / Gualtiero Calboli // Latin vulgaire – latin tardif VI. Actes du VI-е colloque international sur le latin vulgaire et tardif. – Hildesheim; Zürich; New York: Olms – Weidmann, 2003. – P. 479–499.

de Melo W. D. C. The early Latin verb system; archaic forms in Plautus, Terence, and beyond / W. D. C. de Melo. – Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007. – XVIII, 413 p.

Delbrück B. Vergleichende Syntax der indogermanischen Sprachen. Teil II /B. Delbrück. – Strassburg: Karl J. Trübner, 1897. – XVII, 560 S.

Elmer H. C. The Latin Prihibitive / H. C. Elmer // American Journal of Philology. – 1894. – Vol. 15/2. – P. 133–153.

Elmer H. C. The Aorist Injunctive in Latin /H. C. Elmer // The Classical Review. – 1898. – Vol.12. – P. 100–104.

Grassi C. Problemi di sintassi Latina: consecutio temporum e aspetto nel verbo latino /Cesare Grassi.– Firenze: La nuova Italia, 1966. – VI, 262 p.

Guggisberg R. Réflexions sur le fonctionnement des classes modo-aspecto-temporelles en latin / R. Guggisberg // Mélanges Esther Bréguet / ed. par C. Wehrli. – Geneve: Typopress, 1975. – P. 77–85.

Hofmann J. B. Lateinische Syntax und Stilistik: mit dem allgemeinen Teil der lateinischen Grammatik /J. B. Hofmann, A. Szantyr. – München: Beck, 1965. – XCVIII, 935, 89 S.

Kravar M. Pitanja glagolskoga vida u latinskom jeziku/ Miroslav Kravar. – Skoplje: Философски факултет,1980. – VIII, 165 s.

Kühner R. Ausführliche Grammatik der lateinischen Sprache. – Teil 2: Satzlehre. Bd. 1 / R. Kühner, C. Stegmann. – Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, 1997. – XV, 828 S.

Mellet S. Grammaire fondamentale du Latin. Le signifie du verbe / S. Mellet, M.-D. Joffre, G. Serbat. – Louvain; Paris: Editions Peeters, 1994. – 474 p.

Perrot J. Les faits d’aspect dans les langues classiques / J. Perrot // L’information litteraire. – 1961.– N 34. – P. 154–163.

Pinkster H. Tempus, Aspect and Aktionsart in Latin (Recent trends 1961–1981) / Harm Pinkster // Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt: ANRW: Geschichte und Kultur Roms im Spiegel der neueren Forschung. Teil 2: Prinzipat. Bd. 29. Hbbd. 2. – Berlin; New York: de Gruyter, 1983. – P. 270–319.

Ronconi A. Il verbo latino. Principi di sintassi storica / Alessandro Ronconi. – Firenze: Le Monnier, 1968.– 250 p.

Thomas F. Recherches sur le subjonctif latin: histoire et valeur des formes / F. Thomas. – Paris: Klincksieck, 1938. – XIV, 264 р.

Thomas F. Remarques sur la concordance des temps du subjonctif en latin / F. Thomas // Revue de philologie, de littérature et d’histoire anciennes. – 1949. Serie 3. – T. 23 (75). – P. 133–150.

Vairel H. Du subjonctif parfait «aoristique» au subjonctif parfait de moindre actualisation / Helene Vairel // Revue de philologie, de littérature et d’histoire anciennes. – 1978. – T. 52. – P. 308–330.

Vairel H. Les énonces prohibitifs au subjonctif /Helene Vairel // Revue de Philologie. – 1981. – T. 55. – P. 249–272.

Wackernagel J. Lectures on Syntax with special refetrence to Greek, Latin, and Germanic /Jakob Wackernagel; ed. by D. Langslow. – Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009. – XXI, 982 p.

References

Bennet, Ch. (1910) Syntax of Early Latin. – Vol. I. The Verb. – Boston: Allyn and Bacon; Leipzig: Theodor Stauffer.

Calboli, G. (2003) L’emploi des modes dans le latin tardif. Latin vulgaire latin tardif VI. Actes du VI-е colloque international sur le latin vulgaire et tardif. Hildesheim; Zürich; New York: Olms, Weidmann, pp. 479–499.

de Melo, W. D. C. (2007) The early Latin verb system; archaic forms in Plautus, Terence, and beyond. Oxford: Oxford University Press, XVIII.

Delbrück, B. (1897) Vergleichende Syntax der indogermanischen Sprachen. Teil II. Strassburg: Karl J. Trübner,. XVII.

Elmer, H. C. (1894) The Latin Prihibitive. American Journal of Philology. vol. 15/2, pp. 133–153.

Elmer, H. C. (1898) The Aorist Injunctive in Latin. The Classical Review. –vol.12, pp. 100–104.

Grassi, C. (1966) Problemi di sintassi Latina: consecutio temporum e aspetto nel verbo latino. Firenze: La nuova Italia, VI.

Guggisberg, R. (1975) Réflexions sur le fonctionnement des classes modo-aspecto-temporelles en latin. Mélanges Esther Bréguet / ed. par C. Wehrli. Geneve: Typopress, pp. 77–85.

Hofmann, J. B. (1965) Lateinische Syntax und Stilistik: mit dem allgemeinen Teil der lateinischen Grammatik. München: Beck,. – XCVIII, 935.

Kravar, M. (1980) Pitanja glagolskoga vida u latinskom jeziku/ Miroslav Kravar. Skoplje, VIII.

Kühner, R. (1997) Ausführliche Grammatik der lateinischen Sprache. Teil 2: Satzlehre. Bd. 1. Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, XV.

Mellet, S. (1994) Grammaire fondamentale du Latin. Le signifie du verbe. Louvain; Paris: Editions Peeters.

Perrot, J. (1961) Les faits d’aspect dans les langues classiques. L’information litteraire. no. 34, pp. 154–163.

Pinkster, H. (1983) Tempus, Aspect and Aktionsart in Latin (Recent trends 1961–1981). Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt:ANRW: Geschichte und Kultur Roms im Spiegel der neueren Forschung.Teil 2: Prinzipat. Bd. 29. Hbbd. 2. Berlin; New York: de Gruyter. pp. 270–319

Ronconi, A. (1968) Il verbo latino. Principi di sintassi storica Firenze: Le Monnier.

Thomas, F. (1938) Recherches sur le subjonctif latin: histoire et valeur des formes. Paris: Klincksieck.

Thomas, F. (1949) Remarques sur la concordance des temps du subjonctif en latin. Revue de philologie, de littérature et d’histoire anciennes. Serie 3.no. 23 (75), pp. 133–150.

Vairel, H. (1978) Du subjonctif parfait «aoristique» au subjonctif parfait de moindre actualisation. Revue de philologie, de littérature et d’histoire anciennes no. 52, pp. 308–330.

Vairel, H. (1981) Les énonces prohibitifs au subjonctif. Revue de Philologie. no. 55, pp. 249–272.

Wackernagel, J. (2009) Lectures on Syntax with special refetrence to Greek, Latin, and Germanic, ed. by D. Langslow. Oxford: Oxford University Press. XXI.

Published
2019-05-22
How to Cite
Чернюх, Б. В. (2019). The aspectual semantics of the independent subjunctive in Latin. The Journal of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. Series “Philology”, (79), 181-187. https://doi.org/10.26565/2227-1864-2018-79-32
Section
Classical languages in modern linguistic paradigms