Tense and aspect (in)compatibility in Serbian matrix and subordinate clauses

Abstract

This paper proposes a compositional temporal analysis of restrictions on perfective aspect in morphological present tense contexts in matrix and (certain) embedded clauses in Serbian. The main idea is that the availability of perfective aspect depends on the duration of the time interval with respect to which the event is ordered. This time interval is further determined by the interplay of temporal and aspectual components higher in the structure. Moreover, it is shown that the observed restrictions on perfective aspect in Serbian are, to a large extent, parallel to restrictions on non-progressive, episodic, non-stative, non-generic predicates in English. Following the assumption that these predicates contain a perfective component (Kamp and Reyle, 1993; Smith, 1991; Cowper, 1998; Wurmbrand, 2014, inter alia), the proposed analysis allows for the unification of Aspect in Serbian and the abovementioned predicates in English.