Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>]

Looking at the examples I am left with a silly question, that is actually directed to Carlota Smith (Carlota, are you there?). Dear Carlota, say a doctor climbs a tree to cure a patient who happens to be living in a tree house, but after performing the, Durative and Dynamic, Semelfactive act of knocking on his door, and then performing the Generically Episodic act of entering the house, the doctor realizes (in both the Perfective and Imperfective, Reallic and Ireallic, Objective or Subjective, sense) that the patient does not Know French (the doctor is French and the patient suffers from acute linguistic amnesia), but then they are Actively and Factually having both a good laugh, noticing, without saying a word, that in climbing through the branches the doctor both Actually and Situationally tore the seat of his pants. 

What is then, the combined Weighted Objective Aktionsart in the broadest sense of the Parameters of the Viewpoint Aspect of the total act? In other words, what is preponderant, the accomplishment of climbing the tree, or the achievement of inadvertently making the patient feel better by a good laugh?

Or should we all have a good hearty laugh?

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Sep 3, 2013, at 8:34 AM, Rolf wrote:

Please look at the following examples taken from Carlota Smith "The Parameter of Aspect":

State: know French

Activity: laugh

Semelfactive: knock

Accomplishment: climb a tree

Achievement: cure the patient