Statal

These verbs express neither actions, nor states, but ‘processes’ (thaw, ripen, deteriorate, consider, neglect, support, display etc). On closer observation, however, it becomes clear that the units of this subclass can also be divided into actional and statal:

The snow is thawing (the ‘purely processual’ verb thaw referring to an inactive substance should be defined ‘processual-statal’).

The designer is considering another possibility (the ‘processual’ verb consider relating to an active doer should be defined as ‘processual-actional’).

The two subclasses differ in their aspectual behaviour. The actional verbs take the form of the continuous aspect quite freely, while the statal verbs, in the same contextual conditions, are mainly used in the indefinite form.

III) On the basis of the aspective characteristics of the process denoted by theverb there can be:

1) limitive verbs (called ‘terminative’ in some grammars)

They present a process as potentially limited (arrive, come, leave, find, start, stop, conclude, aim, drop, catch, etc + phrasal verbs with limitive postpositions: stand up, sit down, get out, be off, etc).

2) unlimitive (non-terminative/durative/cursive).

They present a process as not limited by any border point (move, continue, live, sleep, work, behave, hope, stand, etc).

Some authors recognise also a third subclass: verbs of double aspective nature (of double/mixed lexical character). These can express either a ‘terminative’ or ‘non-terminative’ (‘durative’) meaning depending on the context. However these cases can be interpreted as reductions (mostly neutralisations) of the lexical aspective opposition:

Mary and Robert walked through the park pausing at flower-beds – unlimitive use, basic function

In the scorching heat, the party walked the whole way to the ravine bareheaded – limitive use, neutralisation.

The English lexical aspect differs radically from the Russian aspect:

· the English lexical aspect expresses a potentially limited or unlimited process

· the Russian aspect expresses the actual conclusion (the perfective, or terminative aspect) or non-conclusion (the imperfective, or non-terminative aspect) of the process in question.

Both the English limitive verbs and unlimitive verbs may correspond alternately either to the Russian perfective verbs or imperfective verbs, depending on the contextual uses (The party arrived (прибыла) at the foot of the mountain. In those years trains seldom arrived (приходили) on time).