[tied] Re: IE thematic presents and the origin of their thematic vo

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "nathrao" <nathrao@...> wrote:

> > 'Punctual' is really not opposed per se to 'durative' but merely
> abstracts
> > from a duration a smaller duration, imagined as a point.

Not 'black'

> and
> > 'white' but 'black' and 'gray'.
>
> Well, does 'smaller duration, imagined as a point' have a limit?
> What about 'walked for the whole day'? Is it durative or can it
> subjectively imagined to be 'punctual'? [The point is that the
> latter is what is seen in all known languages that have a
> perfective vs imperfective distinction. PIE is alledged to
> be uniquely different.]

"Louis XIV régna de 1643 à 1715"

"A ce moment-là régnait la confusion totale..."

In the art of narration it is important to relax the listener by
merely stating a fact from time to time.
It is also equally important, in between, to vitalise the narration,
make it living, 'picturesque' by depicting a scene.

Isn't this narrative aspect of establishing facts ("constater") and
painting mental scenes for the audience the essential distinction?

Lars