7 States vs Events_2015

7/26/2019 7 States vs Events_2015

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Grammar I Graciela Palacio

LV/UB 2012 (revised 2015)

LESSON 7:

STATES VS EVENTS

A state is a situation that holdsor exists, without ch!"e, for some time. States lack staes

or !hases an" the# are "urati$e. %&am!les of states are be happy, own a house, have green

eyes, etc. 'his information can (e e&!resse" (# means of features, semantic features in this

case, e..)

Own a house) *+ staes, *- "urati$e1

States can also (e re!resente" ra!hicall# (# means of an un(roken line, e..)

%$ents, on the other han", are "#namic situations. 'he# h##e!$ occuror t%e #lce at a

certain time an" in a certain !lace. 'he# "ont e&ist as concrete o(ects "o. 'he# in$ol$e

!artici!ants. %&am!les of e$ents are a !art#, a "emonstration, a meetin, a lesson, an

in$asion, etc.

&''VE*+STEN,TO,ENOTESTATES-

1. 'he $er( .e)

'he hale isa mammal. !ermanent characteristic cf. S!anish)ser

I amtire". tem!orar# state cf. in S!anish) estar

2.Ver.s o/ #erce#tio! such as see, hear, smell, taste, feel hen the# refer to a situation

hich in$ol$es no ener# or ill. 3onsi"er the folloin e&am!les)

I canseesome(o"# at the "oor.

4rom here, I can hearthe noise of the traffic.

3an #ousmellsomethin (urnin5

I can tastethe arlic in this ste.

Ifeelsa".

6. Ver.s tht ex#ress eotio!ssuch as like, love, dislike, hate, loathe, detest, hope, want,

etc. 'hese $er(s are calle" odlit ver.s an" the# e&!ress hat is technicall# calle"

volitio!)

I likechocolate.

I wantto o to the cinema.

1Durativeis a feature, the - or 7 sin !lace" (efore the feature is a $alue for that feature.

'he *- $alue in"icates that the feature is !resent, the *7 $alue in"icates that the feature is

a(sent.

Pae 1 of 8/ Lesson 9


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:. Ver.s tht ex#ress %!owled"e or lc% o/ %!owled"e such as know, believe, think, expect,

seem, find, etc. 'hese $er(s are another t#!e of odlit ver.s an" the# e&!ress

co"!itio!)

I believethat he is a liar.

Sue thinksthat the film is e&cellent.Sheseemsha!!#.

She looksha!!#.

&''VE*+STEN,TO,ENOTEEVENTS-

1. Ver.s which de!ote ctivities. Acti$ities are situations such as walk in the park, work,

hich are "urati$e (ut hich "o not culminate2,e..)

;ohn is working.

Ann isplayingin her room.

e as nodding. a series of e$ents, a re!eate" mo$ement

>ejumpedclear of the car. a sinle e$ent

>e asjumpingfor o#. a series of e$ents, a re!eate" mo$ement

6. Tr!sitio!l3eve!t ver.s such as die, arrive, leave, fall, land, stop, etc. 'hese $er(s

resem(le momentar# $er(s in that the# also "enote e$ents that ha$e little "uration.

>oe$er, hen use" in the im!erfecti$e as!ect, the# e&!ress that the entit# is

approachinga transition into a ne state i.e. a chane into a ne state rather than the

transition itself.

'he man as dying.

'he helico!ter as landing.

'he (us isstopping.

:.Ver.s o/ tte!tio!$ hich contrast ith $er(s of !erce!tion, such as look, listen, smell,

taste, an"feel, e..)

Im lookingat some !hotos.

Listento me.

mellthis !erfume to see if #ou like it.

2 A situation that culminates is sai" to (e telic. A situation that "oes not culminate is calle"

atelic. See lesson :6 Inflectional 3ateories of the Ver(.



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!astethis. cf. !ro(?

"eelthis material to see if it is soft enouh for the (a(#.


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Note :

Sometimes a $er( is *+ "urati$e an" cannot com(ine ith the im!erfecti$e as!ect (ut as lon

as there is a chane of state, the situation can (e rear"e" as an e$ent an" it is therefore *-

"#namic, e..)

I$efoundthe ke#s. chane of state) no I kno here the# are

EIm fin"in the ke#s.

TESTSTOTELL,6NAVE*+S*OSTATVEVE*+S)

1. F#namic $er(s can (e com(ine" ith $ing to e&!ress hat is technicall# calle"

im!erfecti$e as!ect. Stati$e $er(s cannot)

>e ispersuadingher to come.

E>e is believingthat I came.

2. F#namic $er(s can (e use" in the im!erati$e. Stati$e $er(s cannot)

%ersuadehim to come.

&uya 'V.

E&elievethat he came.

ELikerammar.

6. F#namic $er(s acce!t manner a"$er(ials such as carefully, attentively, conscientiously,

painstakingly', etc. Stati$e $er(s "ont)

>e !ainstakinl#persuadedme to come.

E>e !ainstakinl# believedthat I came.

;ohn carefull# washedhis car.

E;ohn carefull# knewGreek.

:. F#namic $er(s acce!t the neation of !ermission. Stati$e $er(s "ont)

>e ma# !otgoto the cinema. mayhas to (e unstresse", the stress falls on not

E>e ma# !otbelievethat I came. he has no !ermission to (elie$eH

>e not (elie$e that I came. this is !ossi(le (ecause if may is stresse" ite&!ressespossibility) It ma# (e the case/ it is !ossi(le that he "oesnt (elie$e that I

came

@. F#namic $er(s can (e !ronominaliCe" (# do so. Stati$e $er(s cannot)

;ohnpersuadedme to come (ut ar# "i"nt do so.

E;ohn believedthat I came (ut ar# "i"nt do so.

. F#namic $er(s can (ecome the focus of !seu"o+cleft sentences i.e. em!hatic sentences

hich contain a #whclause. Stati$e $er(s cannot)

6 Painstakin) a". *usuall# (efore noun nee"in a lot of care, effort an" attention to "etail)

!he event had been planned with painstaking attention to detail. Painstakinl#) a"$.

Pae : of 8/ Lesson 9


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4ro#ositio!: d!ic

@. ;ohnputthe (ook on the ta(le.

Semantic anal#sis)

Pre"icator)putthree+!lace $er(

Aruments))ohn, the book, on the tablethreeArument Structure ofput) K1, 2, 6

4ro#ositio!: d!ic

. ;ohn is tall.

Semantic anal#sis)

Pre"icator) tallone+!lace a"ecti$e

Aruments))ohnonl# one

Arument Structure of tall) K1

4ro#ositio!: sttive

9. ;ohn isfondof ar#.Semantic anal#sis)

Pre"icator)fondto+!lace a"ecti$e

Aruments))ohn,*ary

Arument Structure offond) K1, 2

4ro#ositio!: sttive

8. ;ohn is a doctor.

Semantic anal#sis)

Pre"icator) a doctor one+arument !re"icati$e "eterminer !hrase

Aruments))ohn

Arument Structure of a doctor) K1

4ro#ositio!: sttive

Now how c! ou 8usti/ our !lsis- 'ere ou hve soe hel#:

4ossi.le 8usti/ictio!s /or sttive #ro#ositio!s:

1. I kno the truth.

'he !ro!osition is stati$e (ecause knowis a mo"alit# $er( e&!ressin conition or

2. I lo$e chocolate.

'he !ro!ositon is stati$e (ecause loveis a mo"alit# $er( e&!ressin $olition or

6. I am aare that he is "ishonest.

'he main !ro!osition is stati$e (ecause aware is a mo"alit# a"ecti$e e&!ressin

conition.

:. I am la" that #ou can come to m# !art#.

'he i! #ro#ositio! is stati$e (ecause glad is a mo"alit# a"ecti$e e&!ressin

$olition.

@. 'he tier in that cae is "anerous.

Pae of 8/ Lesson 9


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'he !ro!osition is stati$e (ecause dangerous is an a"ecti$e "enotin a !ro!ert# an"

(ecause the $er( be is a t#!ical stati$e $er(.

. 4rom m# (e"room, I can see a ri$er an" lo$el# !ark.

'he !ro!osition is stati$e (ecauseseeis a $er# of !erce!tion.

4ossi.le 8usti/ictio!s /or d!ic or ovee!t #ro#ositio!:

1. 'he "oor o!ene".

'he !ro!osition is "#namic. Open"enotes a chane of !osition.

2. ;ohn o!ene" the "oor.

'he !ro!osition is "#namic (ecause there is a causati$e meanin in the sentence. It

can (e !ara!hrase" as)ohn caused the door to change its position.

6. 'he sno melte".

'he !ro!osition is "#namic.*elt"enotes a chane of state. 'he sno ent from onestate to another. 'here is mo$ement.

:. 'he sun melte" the sno.

'he !ro!osition is "#namic (ecause there is a causati$e meanin in the sentence. It

can (e !ara!hrase" as !he sun caused the snow to change its state

@. 'he chil" is cr#in.

'he !ro!osition is "#namic (ecause the sentence "enotes an acti$it#. 'he semantic

features are *-"#namic, *-"urati$e, an" the situation "oes not culminate. Besi"es

cryis a $er( of emission. Ver(s of emission reJuire an in!ut of ener#.

. >e ent to the su!ermarket.

'he !ro!osition is "#namic (ecause gois ver. o/ directed otio!. 'he su(ect is

an entit# that tra$erses a !ath.

9. 'he (a(# is cralin.

'he !ro!osition is "#namic (ecause the sentence "enotes an acti$it#. 'he semantic

features are *-"#namic, *-"urati$e, an" the situation "oes not culminate. Besi"es

crawlis ver. o/!!er o/ otio!9

ore com!le& e&am!les)1. 4ish sim.

Althouhswimin isolation is a $er( that oul" "enote an acti$it#, in this case the

!ro!osition is stati$e (ecause it has (een com(ine" ith sim!le !resent. 'he sentence

"enotes a !ro!ert# of fish.

2. I sa ;ohn #ester"a#.

Althouhseeis a $er( of !erce!tion, the !ro!osition is "#namic (ecause it has (een

com(ine" ith sim!le !ast so the sentence "enotes an e$ent.

6. ;ohn knos the truth.

'he !ro!osition is stati$e.nowis a mo"alit# $er( e&!ressin conition.



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:. I kne ;ohns car imme"iatel#.

'he !ro!osition is "#namic.nowmeans MreconiCeN here an" it "enotes an e$ent.

otice the !resence of the a"$er( immediately.

Lesso! 7 Activit 1:

Be rea"# to anser the folloin Juestions in class)1.

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7 States vs Events_2015