Tense, Aspect and Modaliy in Nepali and Manipuri

Abstract

This dissertation explores the morpho-syntax and semantics of tense, aspect and modalityin Nepali and Manipuri. We adopt the definition of tense as the grammatical coding of an event or state in relation to the time of speech. Aspect refers to whether a particular action is completed or not and that action terminates or not at the reference time. Modality refers to the speakers’attitudes towards the proposition. The meaning of each of the three categories is described based on data collected by the researcher and from published sources. The approach that we adopt here presupposes that every sentence in a natural language consists of a proposition, the element of modality and temporal reference. Realis and irrealis arethe two semantic sub-domains of modality. This modal contrast is expressed by means of moods,modal verbs and the inherent modality meanings of lexical verbs. Nepali has mood distinction between declarative and non-declarative. The declarative sentences have tense contrast of past or non-past and aspectual contrast of perfectivity and imperfectivity. The non-declarative sentences may be potential, imperative and optative. In Manipuri the mood distinction is between realis andirrealis. Realis sentences can be aspectually perfective or imperfective. Both languages havemodal verbs to express different modal meanings such as ability, epistemic notion, possibility,necessity, etc. Different lexical verbs have different modal scopes over their complementsexpressing certainty, presupposition, doubt, etc. The approach that we adopt for aspect covers the notions such as lexical aspect,perfectivity, terminativity and sequentiality. The discussion on lexical aspect explores the effectof inherent meanings of verbal group on the aspectual distinction. The term perfectivity is limitedwithin the morphological level and includes the notions such as completives, anteriors,resultatives and past time markers. The term terminativity operates in the clausal level and has both verbal group and nominal arguments in its scope. The term sequentiality is a discourse level property and we illustrate it from the textual analysis from modern Manipuri fiction. Nepali has tense contrast between past and non-past in declarative sentences. We argued that Manipuri is a tenseless language. Hence, tense is not a universal category.