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b-hebrew - [b-hebrew] Verb Inflection & Tense

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  • From: <tladatsi AT charter.net>
  • To: <VadimCherny AT mail.ru>, <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] Verb Inflection & Tense
  • Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2005 19:43:52 -0400

Vadim,

You incorrect on one point. There is at least one language
which has verb inflection but no tense. Tagalog, an
Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) language, has verbs that
inflected (both prefixes and infixes) but only for aspect,
not tense.

Taking verb root ? aral ? which means ? study ? you can add
a prefix mag to make the infinitive ? mag-aral. The verb
can be then conjugated in the active voice (or Subject
Focus as is sometimes called) to nag-aral, nag-a-aral, and
nag-a-aral, indicating respectively ? having studied
(Perfect - action completed), studying (Imperfect - action
in process), and intending to study (Contemplated -
intended action). There is a different put parallel four
part conjugation in the passive voice (or Object Focus)-
pi-nag-aral-an, pi - nag-a ? aral-an, and pag-aaral. You
can think of Tagalog as having two stems.

I have been lead to believe that other, if not all, of the
Austronesian languages are inflected in terms of aspect but
not tense but certainly Tagalog is.


Jack Tladatsi




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