Semantic Variation in Tense and Aspect
Class Handouts


Unit 1: Background on the Semantics of Tense, Aspect, and Embedded Tense

A Review of Intensions, Propositional Attitudes, and Events

An Introduction to the Semantics of Tense

An Introduction to the Semantics of Aspect and Aktionsart

Approaches to the Semantics of Embedded Tense


Unit 2: Variation in the Interpretation of Embedded Tenses

Prolegomenon: De Re Attitudes, Tense, and 'Double Access' Readings

Variation in the Interpretation of Embedded Tenses: Ogihara & Sharvit (2012) "Embedded Tenses"


Unit 3: Variation in the Semantics of Perfective and Imperfective Aspect

Altshuler (2014) "A Typology of Partitive Aspectual Operators" [Handout by Petr Kusliy]

Imperfective Aspect as a Modal Operator: Arregui et al. (2014) "Cross-Linguistic Variation in Imperfectivity"


Unit 4: Variation in the Semantics of Perfect

Pancheva (2003) "The Aspectual Makeup of Perfect Participles and the Intepretation of Perfect" [Handout by Katia Vostrikova]

The Perfect Time Span and the 'Present Perfect Puzzle': Pancheva & von Stechow (2004) and Rothstein (2008)


Unit 5: 'Tenseless' Langauges

Tonhauser (2011) "Temporal Reference in Paraguayan Guarani, a Tenseless Language" [Handout by Thuy Bui]

Unmarked Verbs with Free Future Construal: Mucha (2013) "Temporal Interpretation in Hausa"


Unit 6: Adnominal Tense(?)

Tonhauser (2007) "Nominal Tense? The Meaning of Guarani Nominal Temporal Markers"[Handout by Rodica Ivan]

Adnominal Tenses Redux: Thomas (2014) "Nominal Tense and Temporal Implicatures"