Abstract:
The objectives of this study are 1) to analyze the situation types or the lexical aspect of situations denoted by alternating intransitive constructions in Thai and subcategorize them into subtypes and 2) to analyze the interactions between each of the three grammatical aspect markers, namely /kamlan/ /yu/ and /leew/, and the lexical aspect of the situations denoted by each sub-type of alternating intransitive constructions. It is found that the alternating intransitive constructions in Thai can denote 6 basic lexical aspect classes, namely, transitory state, inherent state, activity, accomplishment, achievement and semelfactive. The alternating intransitive constructions in Thai can be sub-classified into 2 major types: 1) the alternating intransitive constructions denoting simple situations, and 2) the alternating intransitive constructions denoting complex situations composed of two sub-events occurring sequentially. The former type comprises 4 subtypes, namely, the alternating intransitive constructions denoting activity, semelfactive, transitory state, and inherent state. The latter type comprises 4 sub-types, namely, the alternating intransitive constructions denoting a complex situation consisting of an accomplishment followed by a transitory state, an accomplishment followed by an inherent state, an achievement followed by a transitory state, and an achievement followed by an inherent state. /kamlan/ is considered a dynamic progressive aspect marker because it functions to profile the dynamic phase of the situation and construes it as the on-going process. /kamlan/ is, therefore, compatible with the dynamic durative situations but incompatible with static and punctual ones. /yu/ is considered a stative progressive aspect marker because it profiles only the intermediate phase of a situation without referring the boundaries. Unlike /yu/ can profile either the static or dynamic phase. Therefore, /yu/ can co-occur with either the dynamic of static situation which is durative. It /yu/ co-occurs with the static situation, the situation will be construed as the state persisting at the reference time or the speech-act time. If/yu/ co-occurs with a dynamic one, it refers to the progressive situation, which is viewed as static. Since the grammatical aspect maker /yu/ is grammaticalized from the lexical verb meaning "to exist, there is remnant of that meaning when /yu/ function as the grammatical aspect marker. Consequently, the grammaticalized aspect marker /yu/ conveys the meaning that there exists a static of dynamic situation on the time line at the referernce time or the speech-act time. On the other hand /leew/ is ambiguous because it conveys the meanings which can be considered as either the perfective aspect or the perfect meaning. However, every meaning conveyed by /leew/ shares the same basic meaning which is the change of state. Therefore, /leew/ can co-occur with every type of alternating intransitive construction except the alternating intransitive construction denoting the original inherent state.