A discussion of the progressive aspect in Nigerian Pidgin
Ofuani, Ogo A.; Ofuani, Ogo A.; University of Benin
Журнал:
Paper in Linguistics
Дата:
1982
Аннотация:
AbstractThis paper discusses those verb constructions in Nigerian Pidgin in which the main invariant verb is preceded by the particle de. It is limited to the present (de + verb) and past (bin + de + Verb) Progressive forms of the use of the particle. The major functions of the Progressive exemplified include (1) references to temporary situations, activities, or goings‐on — the temporary situation includes the present moment in its time‐span, stretching for a limited period into the past and into the future; (2) references to habitual or iterative uses, in which the progressive concept of “limited duration”; is applied not to individual events that make up a series, but to the series as a whole ("habit in existence over a limited period"); (3) references to habitual situations involving “repetition of events of limited duration”; where the notion of “limited duration”; is applied not to the habit as a whole, but to the individual events of which the habit is composed; (4) references to anticipated happenings in the future; and (5) use in proverbs or such statements as have the proverbial quality about them.
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