Inchoative verb: Difference between revisions
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An '''inchoative verb''', sometimes called an "inceptive" verb, shows a process of beginning or becoming. [[Productive]] inchoative [[infix|infixes]] exist in several languages, including [[Latin language|Latin]] and [[Ancient Greek]], and consequently some [[Romance language]]s. Not all verbs with inchoative infixes have retained their inceptive meaning. |
An '''inchoative verb''', sometimes called an "inceptive" verb, shows a process of beginning or becoming. [[Productive]] inchoative [[infix|infixes]] exist in several languages, including [[Latin language|Latin]] and [[Ancient Greek]], and consequently some [[Romance language]]s. Not all verbs with inchoative infixes have retained their inceptive meaning. In Italian, for example, present indicative ''finisco'' 'I finish' contains the form of the infix, while present indicative ''finiamo'' 'we finish' does not, yet the only difference in meaning is that of person subject; the infix is now semantically inert. |
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==Latin== |
==Latin== |
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Revision as of 02:28, 28 April 2008
An inchoative verb, sometimes called an "inceptive" verb, shows a process of beginning or becoming. Productive inchoative infixes exist in several languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek, and consequently some Romance languages. Not all verbs with inchoative infixes have retained their inceptive meaning. In Italian, for example, present indicative finisco 'I finish' contains the form of the infix, while present indicative finiamo 'we finish' does not, yet the only difference in meaning is that of person subject; the infix is now semantically inert.
Latin
The Latin language uses the infix -sc- to show inchoative force. The infix is normally seen in the present tense stem, and is not present in the third and fourth principal parts.
- apiscor, apisci, aptus sum reach
- cresco, crescere, crevi, cretus come into being, spring up, grow up
- convalesco, convalescere, convalui recover, get better, grow strong
- disco, discere, didici learn
- irascor, irasci, iratus sum be in a rage
- lapidesco, lapidescere become stone
- misceo, miscere, miscui, mixtus mix
- nanciscor, nancisci, nactus/nanctus sum get
- nosco, noscere, novi, notus get to know
- obdormisco, obdormiscere, obdormivi, obdormitus fall asleep
- posco, poscere, poposci demand
- proficiscor, proficisci, profectus sum set out
- rubesco, rubescere, rubui (<rubeo) to grow red, redden
Ancient Greek
Greek also uses -sk- to show inchoative force in the present stem. -σκ- is added to verb-stems ending in vowels, --ισκ- is added to consonant stems.
- αρεσκω to please
- φασκω to feed
See also
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