On the Universality of Aspectual Classes: Inchoative States in Korean
Résumé
This paper seeks to provide evidence for cross-linguistic variation in aspectual classes based on so-called “inchoative states” in Korean. Unlike typical stative predicates, which are atelic, these aspectual predicates show variable telicity in that they can be modified by both for-adverbials (atelic) and in-adverbials (telic). To make sense of this apparently contradictory pattern of behaviour, it is argued that inchoative states in Korean entail the inception of a change of state, but with no inherent culmination in its inherent aspectual meaning. Under this proposal, they are compatible with for-adverbials since they have no inherent termination. They can, however, also be modified by in-adverbials because they describe the inception of a change of state, that is a time of transition between two states. Languages may differ with respect to the presence/absence of initial/final points in their aspectual representations.