[tied] Re: Ablaut, hi-conjugation, stress alternation, etc

> > Last things first.
> >
> > I am sure the excellent Slavicists on this list will be able to
> > expand and amplify what I am about write.

I think so too.

> > > It is absolutely wrong to say that "preverbs made simple verbs
> > > punctual". Preverbs provide a wide variety of derivational
> > > nuances, only one of which is perfectivity. Perfectivity has
> > > nothing intrinsically to do with punctuality.

Aha.

> > All preverbs make simple verbs punctual in Russian, from all I've
> > heard. That's good enough for me. And if the Russians can do it,
> > so could the PIEers.

> Well, I am not a Slavicist by any means, so I will not characterize
> your statement as wrong but in my opinion it is.

Thank you.

> The contrast in Russian, at least, is between perfective and
> imperfective.

I concur.

> The perfective preverb pro- produces prochitayu, 'I shall read
>_through_'. This, to me, is clearly durative rather than punctual.

This website seems to disagree with your absolute truth and
clearliness
http://russian.speak7.com/russian_verbs

"
These are some clues that give us a hint if the verb is imperfective
or perfective:

Russian Imperfective & Perfective

Whether a prefix is used such as "pro" before a verb or not,
having a prefix would mean that the verb is perfective.

Whether there is a change in the stem/suffix or not.

Whether there is a change in the vowel before last or not.

Whether a "yv" is placed inside a verb or not.
If it is inside a verb that would mean that the verb is imperfective.

"


Torsten