Maja Đukanović
University of Belgrade
Tanja Samardžić
University of Belgrade
TEACHING VERBAL ASPECT AT EARLY STAGES OF SLA (SERBIAN AND SLOVENIAN) We argue for a more elaborated approach to teaching verbal aspect in Serbian and Slovenian as foreign languages, providing arguments for teaching verbal aspect at the earliest stages of SLA and proposing a technique for it. Since these two languages are closely related we, consider the ways their similarities can be used with respect to the issue. Introduction
Slavic verbal aspect has received considerable attention in linguistic theory, but far less in the field of teaching foreign languages, as it has already been underlined (Townsend 2001). This is particularly true for the South Slavic subgroup, to which the languages treated in this paper belong. Nevertheless, the question of the verbal aspect appears to be especially interesting for the second language acquisition. On the one hand, it is necessary to learn the aspectual differences as soon as possible. On the other hand, being only partially regular, variation between the different aspects is extremely difficult to capture with grammar rules, especially those that could be understandable and applicable to the learner. As just mentioned above, formulating even the most simple constructions involves using different verb aspects. We illustrate this by an example taken from the referenced handbook for teaching Slovenian as foreign language <$dati tacne podatke za Bazični priručnik 2004>. In this handbook, accorded with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, <$mozda i za ovo dati podake, ali nije nuzno> establishing contact is unsurprisingly treated as one of the most basic competences, with the following example:
A vas lahko nekaj vprašam? Ja, prosim.
A lahko malo zmotim? Ja, seveda. Kaj pa je? (<$referenca sa brojem strane>
<ovo bi trebalo prevesti na engleski, bolje ti nego ja:)>
1
This is immediately followed by another example related to the task of expressing compliments:
Naloga je sijajno napisana! Hvala.<$opet isto kao i gore>
What we can clearly see from these examples is that it is impossible to avoid using different verb aspects from the very beginning of teaching. Examples like this could be found in all the textbooks that we took into consideration for this research1(Živanić, Selimović­Momčilović 2000; Bjelaković, I, Vojnović J. 2004<$dodati slovenacke>). And since these verbs are used, they should be explained. However, one would like to postpone these explanations as much as possible because of the very complicated nature of the phenomenon. The learners are already almost overwhelmed with the rich inflection system at this level, so we would prefer to leave the issue of verb aspects for later on. So, the textbook writers have to make a choice between these two options: either they avoid using different aspectual forms till they can explain them, which is rather late, or they simply use the verbs that they need from the beginning, giving the explanations later. Both of the approaches are represented in our research sample.
In Ćorić B. 2005 the use of aspect is systematically avoided till the point where it is explained, in the second part of the book, which is not even a beginners book, but aims at higher levels too. From the linguistic point of view, this seems to be more rational thing to do. But the problem with it is that we end up teaching an artificial language, which is not in use with native speakers. And this is by no means an objective of language teaching, at least not in the contemporary approaches.
Other textbooks go for the other option. In Bjelaković, I, Vojnović J. 2004, for instance, we do not find an explanation of verbal aspect before page 50. A tendency of avoiding using aspect can be recovered from the fact that all the examples for present tense forms have the same aspect – imperfective. Yet, the exercises do often contain the verbs with perfective aspect. This, unfortunately, leads to a big confusion with the learner, which is often confirmed in our own experience. The learner can observe substantial similarities between the forms (e.g. Serbian: pisati – zapisati – zapisivati, Slovenian: pisati – zapisati – zapisovati) and would like to have a rule which puts them in a relation. This leads us to the main question of our research: How can we formulate a rule that can account for these similarities, that can be useful to the learner, but at the same time simple enough to be presented at the very beginning of learning. 1
The textbooks which were selected are those that are generally most widely in use. 2
Explaining the aspectual variations is practically impossible without very complex semantic concepts such as states, actions, process, telicity, durability, itarativity and so on. (Cf. Townsend 2001, for example.) We cannot expect our learners to be familiar with these concepts so much as to be able to make them a basis for their verb aspect acquisition. This is why the authors of the textbooks try to simplify the explanations once the finally give them. The problem here is that these explanations are often oversimplified and, as we shall see further in this article, are far from covering all the cases that they need to cover. We illustrate this again with an example. In Bjelaković, I, Vojnović J. 2004, the explanation that is given on the page 50 is very short and only four examples are given:
piti : popiti pušiti : popušiti
čitati : pročitati
jesti : pojesti (to drink)
(to smoke)
(to read)
(to eat)
(Bjelaković, I, Vojnović J. 2004:50)
As we can see, all these examples are, in fact, lexical derivations, which do change the verbs’ aspect, but this is far from explaining the aspect. To start with, it is not that all the verbs that we need to relate come in pairs, as we show in more detail further in this article. In a longer run such explanations can do more harm than good. Teaching the aspect
In this paper we argue that verbal aspect should be approached systematically from the beginning. First a very general rule should be introduced explaining aspect differences in terms of perfectiveness of what is denoted by a verb – imperfective vs. perfective situations. Then each verb that is presented in a lexicon should be accompanied by the verbs it can be related to. This is to be done according to the classes given in the tables in the next section. Once the learner is equipped with the knowledge of the most general difference between the two aspects and a very clear picture of the morphological variations, they can be expected to collect further evidence of the use of the verbs, adjusting incrementally their own expression to the correct one. In this paper we demonstrate how the morphological variations can be made more clear to the learner. We leave the techniques for collecting evidence for further research.2
2
Some syntactic considerations given in Klikovac 1996 could suggest a direction for this research. 3
In order to describe the morphological variations of the verbs with respect to their aspect it is necessary to give up the verb pair representation. The fact is that some verbs do not have their counterparts of the other aspect, some are ambiguous, and some make whole derivational­aspectual sequences. This is what our classification aims to represent. Another observation that we find crucial for treating verb aspect in teaching is that there is always one basic or main verb for all the configurations that occur. These are the verbs that need to be memorised by the learner, and for which the meaning should be learned. The other variations can then be added to them according to the classification that we propose. This is exactly the rule that reduces the need for separate memorising of the verbs and that the learner seeks as soon as they can observe the similarities.
The verbs that are described in this paper all come from one of the textbooks for beginners (Živanić, Selimović­Momčilović 2000), but any other verb list could be analysed in the same way. The list that is presented in this paper is not the same as we found it in the textbook vocabulary. If any of the forms was found in the vocabulary, the verb was included. We added the other forms related to it if needed, based on our own intuition. Verb classes and variations
In this section we present our classification in detail. The verbs that are marked with the bold print represent the basic or main verb already mentioned in the previous section. The Serbian and Slovenian verbs are given so that Serbian verbs stand always left, Slovenian always right. In addition, the verbs with the imperfective aspect are always given on the left side, and the those with the perfective aspect on the right. 1. Verbs that always have the same aspect. These verbs are all imperfective. They also do not enter any further lexical derivations (with exception of the verb “visiti”), although they themselves may be derived. izgledati
ležati
skijati se
stanovati
takmičiti se
trenirati
trgovati
uživati
visiti zavisiti ( ?)
izgledati
ležati
smučati se
stanovati
tekmovati se
trenirati
trgovati
uživati
viseti
4
2. Verbs that are ambiguous.
These verbs have the same form for both aspect. They mostly also do not enter any further lexical derivations.
čuti
doručkovati (doručkovavati)
hteti
imati
jesti
letovati
moći
morati
parkirati
ručati (ručavati)
telefonirati
večerati (večeravati)
videti
slišati
zajtrkovati
(/)
hoteti
imeti
jesti
letovati
moči
morati
parkirati
kositi (/)
telefonirati
večerjati (/)
videti
čuti
doručkovati
hteti
imati
jesti pojesti
letovati
moći
morati
parkirati
ručati
telefonirati
večerati
videti
slišati
zajtrkovati
(/)
hoteti
imeti
jesti pojesti
letovati
moči
morati
parkirati
kositi (/)
telefonirati
večerjati (/)
videti
3. Verbs that alter in pairs.
This class is subdivided into: 3a Aspectual pairs with imperfective verb as basic.
bojiti
boriti se
čitati
grešiti
gubiti
jesti
kupati (se)
kuvati
lečiti (se)
barvati
boriti se
brati
zgrešiti
izgubljati
jesti
kopati (se)
kuhati
zdraviti (se)
obojiti izboriti se
pročitati
pogrešiti
izgubiti zagubiti
jesti pojesti
okupati (se)
skuvati
izlečiti (se) zalečiti (se)
mešati
mešati
pomešati
nadati se
peći
plaziti (se)
putovati
upati
peči
/ (kazati jezik)
potovati
rasti
slati
svirati
šetati
rasti
pošiljati
igrati
sprehajati se
ponadati se
ispeći
isplaziti (se)
otputovati doputovati
porasti izrasti
poslati
zasvirati odsvirati
prošetati
pobarvati
izboriti se
prebrati
zgrešiti
izgubiti /
jesti pojesti
okopati (se)
skuhati
pozdraviti (se) / ozdraviti
zamešati
pomešati, premešati
/
ispeči
/
odpotovati, dopotovati
zrasti /
poslati
zaigrati, odigrati
sprehoditi se
5
trčati
tražiti
trajati
trebati
truditi se
učiti
verovati
voleti
želeti
živeti
žuriti
teči
iskati
trajati
potrebovati
truditi se
učiti
verovati
ljubiti
želeti
živeti
muditi se
potrčati
potražiti
potrajati
zatrebati
potruditi se
naučiti
poverovati
zavoleti
poželeti
poživeti
požuriti
steči
poiskati
/
/
potruditi se
naučiti
/
vzljubiti
zaželeti
poživeti
pohiteti
3b Aspectual pairs with perfective verb as basic.
dešavati se (izdešavati se)
dozvoljavati
kažnjavati
nagrađivati
obećavati
objašnjavati
odlučivati (se)
odmarati se
osećati se
osvajati
ozdravljati
počinjati
pobeđivati
polagati
posećivati
provoditi (se)
razumevati
sedeti
skidati
sviđati se
uspevati
zaboravljati
dogajati se /
desiti se
zgoditi se
dovoljevati
kaznovati
nagrajevati
obljubljati
pojasnevati
odločati (se)
počivati
čutiti /počutiti se
osvajati
okrevati
začenjati
zmagovati
polagati
obiskovati
preživljati
razumevati
sedeti
slačiti
ugajati
uspevati
pozabljati
dozvoliti
kazniti
nagraditi
obećati
objasniti
odlučiti (se)
odmoriti se
osetiti (se)
osvojiti
ozdraviti
početi
pobediti
položiti
posetiti
provesti (se)
razumeti
sesti
skinuti
svideti se
uspeti
zaboraviti
dovoliti
kaznovati
nagraditi
obljubiti
pojasniti
odločiti (se)
odpočiti se
začutiti (se)
osvojiti
ozdraviti
začeti
zmagati
položiti
obiskati
preživeti
razumeti
usesti se
sleči
ugajati
uspeti
pozabiti
4. Derivational sequences. This group can also been subdivided in the same way as previous one.
4a Derivational sequences with imperfective verb as basic.3
3
For the reasons of the length of the verbs sequences in these classes, we present them each in two rows: Serbian up, Slovenian down.
6
baviti se zabavljati se
/ zabavljati se
boleti razboljevati se preboljevati
boleti zbolevati prebolevati
cvetati rascvetavati se
cveteti razcvetati se
čekati sačekivati dočekivati pričekivati
čakati / pričakovati /
čistiti prečišćavati
čistiti prečiščevati
držati zadržavati podržavati pridržavati sadržavati održavati (se)
držati zadrževati pridrževati vzdrževati
duvati produvavati razduvavati
pihati razpihovati
gajiti uzgajati
gojiti vzgajati
gasiti ugašavati
gasiti ugaševati
gledati pogledati pregledati razgledati
gledati pogledati pregledati razgledati
govoriti odgovarati progovarati izgovarati pregovarati razgovarati dogovarati prigovarati
govoriti odgovarjati spregovarjati izgovarjati pregovarjati pogovarjati se dogovarjati prigovarjati
hodati prohodavati
hoditi /
hraniti nahranjivati prehranjivati
hraniti prehranjevati
ići dolaziti izlaziti ulaziti prolaziti odlaziti polaziti prelaziti stizati
iti prihajati izstopati vstopati prehajati odhajati odhajati prehajati prihajati
igrati (zaigravati) (se) poigravati se
igrati zaigravati (se) poigravati
koristiti iskorišćavati
koristiti izkoriščevati
kupiti s(a)kupljati
kupiti zb(i)rati
lomiti slamati prelamati
lomiti zlamljati prelamljati
nositi donositi iznositi prenositi unositi odnositi ponositi se
nositi prinašati iznašati prenašati vnašati odnašati ponašati se
paliti zapaljivati
zabaviti se pozabaviti se
zabaviti se /
zaboleti razboleti se preboleti
zboleti / preboleti
procvetati rascvetati se
razcveteti se
sačekati dočekati pričekati
počakati pričakati /
očistiti prečistiti
očistiti prečistiti
zadržati podržati pridržati sadržati održati (se)
zadržati / pridržati produvati razduvati
razpihati
uzgajiti
vzgojiti
ugasiti
ugasniti
ugledati pogledati pregledati razgledati
zagledati pogledati pregledati razgledati
odgovoriti progovoriti izgovoriti dogovoriti prigovoriti
odgovoriti spregovoriti izgovoriti dogovoriti prigovoriti
prohodati
sprehoditi
nahraniti prehraniti
nahraniti prehraniti
doći izaći ući proći otići poći preći stići
priti isztopiti vstopiti preteči oditi oditi priti
zaigrati (se) poigrati se
zaigrati (se) poigrati se
koristiti iskoristiti
koristiti izkoristiti
s(a)kupiti
zbrati
slomiti prelomiti
zlomiti prelomiti
doneti izneti preneti uneti odneti poneti
prinesti iznesti prenesti vnesti odnesti /
zapaliti
7
žgati zažigati
pisati prepisivati opisivati zapisivati
pisati prepisovati opisovati zapisovati
pitati (se) zapitkivati raspitivati se ispitivati
spraševati (se) / povpraševati izpraševati
piti napijati se
piti napijati se
ploviti isplovljavati uplovljavati
pluti //
praviti ispravljati (se)
/
seliti (se) preseljavati (se)
seliti (se) preseljevati (se)
pričati prepričavati
pričati prepričevati
probati isprobavati
probati izprobavati
pržiti propržavati
pražiti /
raditi dorađivati prerađivati
delati dodelavati predelavati
seći isecati posecati se rasecati
rezati izrezovati / razrezovati
slaviti proslavljati slaviti proslavljati slikati preslikavati
slikati preslikovati
služiti posluživati
služiti posluževati
smejati se zasmevati (se)
smejati se zasmevati (se)
spavati prespavati zaspevati uspavljivati (se)
spati prespati / /
značiti označavati
pomeniti zaznamovati
zvati (se) pozvati (se) sazivati
klicati (se) poklicati sklicati
zažgati
napisati prepisati opisati zapisati
napisati prepisati opisati zapisati
pitati zapitati se raspitati se ispitati
vprašati / povprašati izprašati
popiti napiti se
popiti napiti se
isploviti uploviti
izpluti vpluti
napraviti ispraviti (se)
preseliti (se)
preseliti (se)
ispričati prepričati
izpričati prepričati
probati isprobati
probati izprobati
ispržiti propržiti
spražiti prepražiti
uraditi doraditi preraditi
izdelati dodelati predelati
iseći poseći raseći
izrezati porezati razrezati
proslaviti
proslaviti
naslikati preslikati
naslikati preslikati
poslužiti uslužiti
poslužiti /
nasmejati (se) zasmejati (se)
nasmejati (se) zasmejati (se)
zaspati uspavati (se)
zaspati uspavati (se)
značiti označiti
pomeniti zaznamovati
pozvati (se) sazvati
poklicati sklicati
4b Derivational sequences with perfective verb as basic.
bacati izbacivati
metati /
davati predavati prodavati izdavati
dajati predavati prodavati izdajati
dizati podizati
dvigati dvigovati
baciti izbaciti
vreči /
dati predati prodati izdati
dati predati prodati izdati
dići podići
dvigniti vzdigniti
8
dobijati pridobijati
dobijati pridobijati
javljati (se) pojavljivati se prijavljivati se najavljivati (se)
javljati (se) / prijavljati se najavljati (se)
kazivati iskazivati pokazivati
/ izkazovati pokazovati
koristiti iskorišćavati
koristiti izkoriščevati
kretati pokretati okretati skretati
/
kupovati otkupljivati zakupljivati
kupovati odkupovati /
legati slegati (ramenima)
legati /
nalaziti (se) pronalaziti
nahajati se nahajati
oblačiti (se) preoblačiti (se)
oblačiti (se) preoblačiti (se)
padati ispadati otpadati propadati
padati izpadati odpadati propadati
probati isprobavati
probati izprobavati
sećati se dosećati se
spominjati se /
spremati pospremati raspremati
pospravljati / /
sretati presretati susretati
srečevati / /
stajati prestajati postajati ustajati nastajati ostajati
stati prestajati postajati vstajati nastajati ostajati
stavljati postavljati sastavljati rastavljati nastavljati ostavljati
uzimati preuzimati
jemati
dobiti pridobiti
dobiti pridobiti
javiti (se) pojaviti se prijaviti (se) najaviti (se)
javiti (se) pojaviti se prijaviti (se) najaviti (se)
kazati iskazati pokazati
kazati izkazati pokazati
koristiti iskoristiti
koristiti izkoristiti
krenuti pokrenuti okrenuti skrenuti
/
kupiti otkupiti zakupiti
kupiti odkupiti zakupiti
leći sleći (ramenima)
uleči se /
naći (se) pronaći
najti (se) iznajti
obući (se) preobući (se)
obleči (se) preobleči (se)
pasti ispasti otpasti propasti
pasti izpasti odpasti propasti
probati isprobati
probati izprobati
setiti se dosetiti se
spomniti se /
spremiti pospremiti raspremiti
pospraviti //
sresti presresti susresti
srečati //
stati prestati postati ustati nastati ostati
stati prestati postati vstati nastati ostati
Conclusion
In our approach we are not aiming at formulating precise rules for the correspondences and relations presented in the classification. Lining up the verbs into the sequences alone can show enough of regularities that can help the learner get an insight into the variation mechanism and improve their competence in using the appropriate verbal aspect. At the same time, this approach insures that the verb aspect is learned without employing the complicated semantic apparatus. 9
The extent to which the two languages prove to be similar concerning the verb classes presented is astonishing and could be directly seen in the tables. This is very important for the learners of one of the languages who are native speakers of the other, because they can almost completely use the intuition on their own language in learning the aspectual variations of the other. It could be an interesting research topic to identify these similarities between the other Slavic languages. This would be useful not just for Slavic learners but also for developing common methods for all the Slavic languages for Non­Slavic learners. 10
REFERENCES
TOWNSEND, E. 2001. An Approach to Describing and Teaching Slavic Verbal Aspect: Aspect and the Lexicon. Journal of Slavic Linguistics 9/1.
Sporazumevalni prag slovenščine 2004
ĆORIĆ, B. 2005. Srpski za strance. Beograd: Čigoja štampa.
ŽIVANIĆ, LJ, SELIMOVIĆ­MOMČILOVIĆ, M. 2000. Srpski jezik za strance. Beograd: Institut za strane jezike.
BJELAKOVIĆ, I, VOJNOVIĆ J. 2004. Naučimo srpski 1. Novi Sad: Dnevnik ­ Novine i časopisi, Filozofski fakultet Univerziteta u Novom Sadu.
KLIKOVAC, D. 1996. O glagolskom vidu u srpskohrvatskom jeziku iz drugog ugla, Zbornik Matice srpske za filologiju i lingvistiku XXXIX/1. Novi Sad: Matica srpska.
<$Dodati jos neki slovenacki udzbenik i to bi bilo to!>
11

Present Simple & Present Continuous

Andragoški glasnik broj 1/2014