tense/aspect

[Frans Plank]

Here's a question from Ashwini Deo <ashwini.deo at yale.edu>.  Any 
ideas?  If so, please get in touch with her directly.

Frans





>>I was wondering if you have any idea about whether a particular 
>>pattern appears typologically:
>>
>>Middle Hindi is a language in which the habitual imperfective 
>>aspect is marked by a particular form (no tense information on the 
>>form only aspect). The progressive meaning comes about from the 
>>periphrasis of this habitual form with present or past tense 
>>auxiliaries.  Tigre  appears to be  a language like that as well. I 
>>was wondering if you or anybody are aware of this as a more general 
>>pattern.
>>
>>The pattern is as follows: The habitual/imperfective form carries 
>>no tense information. Tense reference is obtained from context. The 
>>same form can have habitual present or habitual past reference. The 
>>addition of tense auxiliaries to this form yields a progressive 
>>meaning. So HAB+pres is present progressive and HAP+past is past 
>>progressive.
>>
It would be great if you know of any languages that work like this or 
if you can refer me to any relevant typological  literature on tense 
and aspect marking that might discuss such a phenomenon.