Tense and Aspect Systems in Marwari and English

Abstract

The present thesis entitled ' Tense and Aspect Systems in Marwari and English' aims at finding out the main differences between tense and aspects of Marwari and English languages. To achieve the objectives of exploring the similarities and differences, an interview schedule/a questionnaire was prepared as the tool for data collection. The respondents for the research were selected by using non-random purposive sampling procedure. Forty native Marwari speakers, ten from each of the four places of Jhapa, were selected from whom the required primary data were collected for the study. The data collected from the questionnaire were analyzed and interpreted descriptively. The major findings showed that the markers of tense and aspect system in Marwari and English verbs are quite different. In Marwari language, verbs inflect to agree with person, number, gender & honorific of the subject but English verbs do not normally inflect to agree with person, gender & honorific of the subject. Marwari language, unlike English, does not have combination of perfect and progressive aspect (perfect progressive). Marwari verbs inflect for future tense but in English future tenses are expressed by the use of modal auxiliaries 'shall/will' before the verb.

This thesis consists of five chapters. Chapter-one presents the general background of the study, statement of problem, rationale of the study, objectives of the study, research questions, significance of the study, delimitations of the study and definitions of the terms used in the thesis. Chapter -two deals with the review of the related literature, implications of the review of the study and theoretical framework. Chapter-three focuses on methods and procedures applied/adopted to conduct the study. It consists of design of the study, population and sample of the study, sampling procedures, sources of data, tools for data collection, process of data collection and the analysis and interpretation of the data. Chapterfour is devoted to the results and discussions of the data collected from informants through

questionnaire. The data were analyzed and interpreted presenting them in tables and charts.

And summary, conclusions and implications drawn on the basis of analysis and interpretation

of data have been included in the last chapter. The implications have been presented for

policy, practice and further research levels. It is followed by references and appendices.