Aspectual correlation and aspectual-correlation potential of prefixes in Slovene

Abstract

The paper presents the concept of aspectual correlation, which extends the concept of aspectual pair by refraining from the requirement of absolute semantic uniformity between verbal lexemes entering such a relationship. Instead, a high semantic closeness is demanded with semantic difference approaching zero (→ 0), while the grammatical (aspectual) difference stands out. Such an approach is tied to an analysis of verbal lexemes on the semantic level. Detailed semantic analysis can not completely rule out the possibility of discovering individual textual realizations departing (especially in valency) only slightly from the meaning they belong to and possibly not being frequent enough to be noted in dictionaries, therefore, describing the relationship between verbal lexemes entering aspectual correlation, it is safer to speak of semantic difference approaching zero than of full semantic uniformity, while the grammatical (aspectual) difference stands out. The proposed view also addresses the question related to verbal word formation: is it possible for the aspectual, and not the semantic, difference to be the prominent one not only at verbal derivation by suffixation (e. g. pripraviti : pripravljati), but at verbal derivation by prefixation (e. g. pisati : napisati), which primarily serves as means of forming new meanings, as well? If this is true, which prefixes apply and to what extent? Do semantically primarily or even completely empty prefixes (preverbes vides) exist? As far as Slovene is concerned, the answers are provided by manual analysis of verbal entries in the second, updated and partially renewed edition of the Dictionary of the Slovenian Literary Language (SSKJ2). On this basis the concept of aspectual-correlation potential of the individual verbal prefixes is introduced.