6.4. Semantic verbs

sempos = v

Semantic verbs include all nodes representing finite verbal forms, infinitives, participles and transgressives (gerunds).

There are seven verbal grammatemes. These are:

6.4.1. Values of the verbal modality grammateme

One of the basic values (ind, cdn or imp) of the verbmod grammateme (see Section 5.9, "The verbmod grammateme (verbal modality)") is assigned to all nodes representing finite verb forms.

The values of the grammateme usually correspond to the value of the morphological category of mood. For example:

Studenti přišli na schůzi včas. [verbmod=ind] (=The students came to the meeting in time)

Přišli včas? [verbmod=ind] (=Did they come in time?)

Přijďte na schůzi včas! [verbmod=imp] (=Come to the meeting in time!)

My bychom přišli určitě včas. [verbmod=cdn] (=We would definitely come in time)

NB! As for nodes representing infinitives, participles or transgressives (gerunds), the value of the verbal modality grammateme is nil. For example:

Každý má povinnost poskytnout člověku první pomoc. [verbmod=nil] (=Everybody has the obligation to give first aid to the ones who need it)

Hlasitě naříkajíc , odcházela. [verbmod=nil] (=Loudly crying, she was leaving)

!!! This is only a temporary solution.

6.4.2. Values of the deontic modality grammateme

The deontic modality grammateme (deontmod; see Section 5.10, "The deontmod grammateme (deontic modality)") gets one of the following values with all nodes representing finite verb forms, infinitives, participles or transgressives, i.e. with all semantic verbs: deb, hrt, vol, poss, perm, fac, decl.

The grammateme expresses whether the event is understood as possible, necessary etc.

The value of the grammateme follows from the modal verb:

  • "muset" → deb.

    Modal predicates consisting of the modal verb muset and a full verb get the deb value.

    Examples:

    Musíme zaplatit fakturu včas. [deontmod=deb] (=We have to settle the invoice in time)

    Ty musíš přijít [deontmod=deb] (=You have to come)

  • "mít" → hrt.

    Nodes representing modal predicates consisting of the modal verb mít and a full verb get the hrt value.

    Examples:

    Petr ti měl podklady poslat už včera. [deontmod=hrt] (=Petr was supposed to send you the documents already yesterday)

  • "chtít" or "hodlat" → vol.

    Nodes representing modal predicates consisting of the modal verb chtít or hodlat and a full verb get the vol value.

    Examples:

    Chtěl na sebe upozornit. [deontmod=vol] (=He wanted to turn the attention to himself)

    Chtíc odejít , rozloučila se. [deontmod=vol] (=As she wanted to leave, she said good-bye)

    Hodlá odjet na dovolenou. [deontmod=vol] (=She intends to go on holiday)

  • "moct" or "dát se" → poss.

    Nodes representing modal predicates consisting of moct or dát se (in its modal meaning) and a full verb get the poss value.

    Examples:

    Můžete odejít. [deontmod=poss] (=You can leave)

    Moct tak odejít! [deontmod=poss] (=If I only could leave!)

    To se dá zjistit [deontmod=poss] (=It is possible to find out)

  • "smět" → perm.

    Nodes representing modal predicates consisting of the modal verb smět and a full verb get the perm value.

    Example:

    Nesmíš kouřit. [deontmod=perm] (=You are not allowed to smoke)

  • "dovést" or "umět" → fac.

    Nodes representing modal predicates consisting of the modal verb dovést or umět and a full verb get the fac value.

    Examples:

    Dovede skvěle vyprávět pohádky. [deontmod=fac] (=He can tell fairy tales fabulously)

    Umí se výborně přetvařovat [deontmod=fac] (=He can/is able to pretend very well)

  • no modal verb → decl.

    If no modal verb is present, the value of the deontic modality grammateme is decl.

    Examples:

    Přišel na schůze včas. [deontmod=decl] (=He came to the meetings in time)

    Přijď na schůzi včas! [deontmod=decl] (=Come to the meeting in time!)

    Přicházet včas je samozřejmostí. [deontmod=decl] (=It is natural to come in time)

    Přicházeje na schůzi. [deontmod=decl] (=Coming to the meeting...)

If a modal verb modifies two (or more) full verbs in coordination or apposition, both (all the) nodes representing the predicates get the same value of the deontic modality grammateme. Examples:

Můžeš si to rozmyslet [deontmod=poss] a přijít [deontmod=poss] za námi. (=You can think it over and come.)

Apart from the above mentioned modal verbs which are usually not represented by a separate node and which directly influence the value of the deontic modality grammateme of the predicate, there are also modal verbs (elements) (e.g.: lze, dokázat (=it_is_possible, manage)) which are represented by a separate node and the deontmod gramamteme value of which is decl. The same holds for all the other modal verbs in those special cases in which they are represented by separate nodes.

For more on modal predicates, see Section 9.1.1, "Modal predicates".

!!! So far, the semantic distinctions caused by negating the modal verbs are not represented properly. For example, the node representing the verb form in the sentence: Nemusíš tam chodit. (=You don't have to go there) gets - due to the presence of the modal verb muset - the deb value, just like in the sentence: Musíš tam jít. (=You have to go there); although in the first case the relevant meaning is rather that of possibility, usually captured by the poss value.

6.4.3. Values of the dispositional modality grammateme

One of the two basic values (disp0 or disp1) of the dispmod grammateme (see Section 5.11, "The dispmod grammateme (dispositional modality)") is assigned to all non-imperative finite forms of semantic verbs (i.e. to nodes the verbmod grammateme of which gets either ind or cdn value).

The disp1 value is assigned in cases when the agent's attitude towards the event is expressed (i.e. in cases involving dispositional modality). In Czech, this type of modality is expressed by a special type of construction - its surface form has usually the following form: the reflexive passive, the manner adverbial of the type dobře, lehce, špatně (=well, easily, not_very_well) and the dative agent, not necessarily present at the surface level. The modal (manner) adverbial may be omitted as well in exclamatory (expressive) clauses, since it can be inferred (e.g. Jemu se pracuje! (=apprx. For him it is so easy to work!)).

The value disp1 is assigned to nodes representing verbal predicates of the following type:

Tato studie se studentům četla dobře. [dispmod=disp1] (=lit. This article REFL student.DAT read well; apprx. It was easy for the students to read the article)

Spalo se nám tu výborně. [dispmod=disp1] (=lit. Slept REFL us.DAT here excellently; apprx. We slept very well here)

Tato studie se čte dobře. [dispmod=disp1] (=lit. This study reads well)

Nám se tu spalo! [dispmod=disp1] (=lit. Us.DAT here slept!; apprx. We slept very well here)

Otherwise, the value of this grammateme is disp0.

NB! As for the nodes representing imperatives, infinitives or transgressives (gerunds), the value of the dispositional modality grammateme is nil.

6.4.4. Values of the aspect grammateme

One of the basic values (proc or cpl) of the aspect grammateme (see Section 5.12, "The aspect grammateme") is assigned to all finite forms, infinitives, participles and transgressives (i.e. to all semantic verbs).

The value of the grammateme usually corresponds to the value of the morphological category.

Imperfective verbs. Imperfective verbs, presenting the event as ongoing, get the proc value.

Examples:

Nejraději kupuje / nakupuje nábytek. [aspect=proc] (=He likes to buy furniture best)

Na schůzky s přáteli mě Pavel nikdy nebral. [aspect=proc] (=Pavel never took me to his get-togethers with friends)

Perfective verbs. Nodes representing verbs, presenting the event as completed/a whole, get the cpl value.

Examples:

Koupil / nakoupil už vše potřebné. [aspect=cpl] (=He has already bought everything we needed)

Na schůzku s přáteli mě Pavel ještě nikdy nevzal. [aspect=cpl] (=Pavel has never taken me to a get-together with his friends)

Double-aspect verbs. There are also so called double-aspect verbs, i.e. verbs that are both perfective and imperfective. They are mostly loan verbs but not only; cf. jmenovat, obětovat, věnovat (=name, sacrifice, devote). For some of the double-aspect loan verbs, prefixed (i.e. perfective) forms have been formed too (e.g.: zorganizovat, vydezinfikovat, zkonstruovat (=organize, disinfect, construct)); however, it does not mean that the non-prefixed forms ceased to be double-aspect verbs.

The proc value is assigned:

  • in those cases when the event is understood as ongoing/as a process.

    For example:

    Právě tato operace byla i v některých západních zemích blokována až do konce 80. let. [aspect=proc] (=It was this operation that was blocked until the end of the 80's even in some of the western countries)

  • in those cases when the event is iterated.

    For example:

    Císaři tam po dosažení určitého věku dobrovolně abdikovali, vstupovali do mnišského stavu... [aspect=proc] (=The Emperors abdicated after reaching certain age, became monks...)

  • in the cases when the event is not limited in its temporal duration.

    For example:

    V případě asociace jde o sdružení firem v daném oboru, které chce garantovat serióznost vůči zákazníkům. [aspect=proc] (=It is an association, which wants to guarantee...)

The cpl value is assigned:

  • in the cases when the event is understood as a once only event.

    For example:

    Celkově lze konstatovat, že vnější podmínky budou působit na českou ekonomiku mírně příznivěji ve srovnání s rokem 1993. [aspect=cpl] (=It is possible to say/state that...)

  • in those cases when the result of the event is presented.

    For example:

    K 31. lednu 1995 registrovaly úřady práce v České republice celkem 75 659 nových pracovních míst. [aspect=cpl] (=By January 31st 1995, the employment agencies registered 75 659 new positions...)

In those cases when it is hard or impossible to choose one of the basic values of the grammateme, the nr value is assigned. For example:

Kniha je výborem z esejů, které autor publikoval v letech 1986-1991 v renomovaných periodikách. [aspect=nr] (=The book is a collection of essays which the author published between 1986 and 1991 in renowned journals)

Blažek odmítl návrh strany na své vystoupení komentovat s tím, že je to věcí vedení strany. [aspect=nr] (=Blažek refuted to comment on the party's proposal...)

Podle předběžných informací by zájemci měli mít možnost investovat do 15 podniků. [aspect=nr] (=According to the preliminary information, the interested people should have the possibility to invest in 15 companies)

6.4.5. Values of the tense grammateme

One of the basic values (sim, ant or post) of the tense grammateme (see Section 5.13, "The tense grammateme") is assigned to nodes representing non-imperative finite verb forms or transgressives (gerunds).

The difference between the absolute and relative tense is not captured by the value of the tense grammateme - it follows from the position of the given node in the tree whether the tense is absolute or relative. Nodes representing a verb form referring to an event that takes place at the moment of utterance (absolute tense) or at the moment (time span) simultaneous with another event (relative tense) are assigned the sim value; nodes representing a verb form referring to an event that took place before the moment of utterance (absolute) or before another event (relative) are assigned the ant value; nodes representing a verb form referring to an event that is going take place after the moment of utterance (absolute) or after another event (relative) are assigned the post value.

The value of this grammateme is directly related to the value of the aspect grammateme: while imperfective verbs (aspect = proc) can have any of the three values (the value of the grammatemes is usually identical to the value of the corresponding morphological category), perfective verbs (aspect = cpl) can have only one of the two values: ant or post; the present form has the future meaning.

Examples:

Píše dopis. [tense=sim] (=He is writting a letter)

Psal dopis. [tense=ant] (=He was writting a letter)

Bude psát dopis. [tense=post] (=He will write/be writting a letter)

Napíše dopis. [tense=post] (=He will write/will have written a letter)

Napsal dopis. [tense=ant] (=He wrote a letter)

The difference between the present and past conditional, as well as between the present and past transgressive is captured by assigning the node one of the values: sim or ant. For example:

Rád by se díval na tu inscenaci. [tense=sim] (=He would like to watch the programme)

Byl by se rád díval na tu inscenaci, ale usnul. [tense=ant] (=He would have liked to watch the programme but he fell asleep)

Hlasitě naříkajíc, odcházela... [tense=sim] (=Crying loudly, she was leaving)

Hlasitě zanaříkavši, odcházela... [tense=ant] (=After emitting a loud cry, she was leaving)

NB! Nodes representing imperatives, participles or infinitives are assigned the nil value.

!!! So far, no cases of the future use of present forms were recognized (e.g.: Zítra jedu do Brna. (=I am going to Brno tomorrow); the value of the tense grammateme is given by the form of the verb. The same applies to the cases when the present verb form is used for talking about past (historical present); the verb is assigned the sim value of the grammateme.

6.4.6. Values of the resultative grammateme

One of the basic values (res0 or res1) of the resultative grammateme (see Section 5.14, "The resultative grammateme (resultative aspect)") is assigned to all finite forms, infinitives, participles and transgressives (i.e. to all semantic verbs).

The res1 value is only assigned to nodes representing the so called possessive passive, i.e. a form consisting of the verb mít and a passive participle, e.g.: měl uvařeno (=lit. (he) had cooked).

In all the other cases, the value of the grammateme is res0.

Examples:

Uvařil [resultative=res0] a uklidil. [resultative=res0] (=He cooked (the dinner) and cleaned (the house))

Měl uvařeno [resultative=res1] a dokonce i uklidil. [resultative=res0] (=lit. (He) had cooked and even cleaned)

Má uvařeno [resultative=res1] a je i uklizeno. [resultative=res0] (=lit. (He) has cooked and is cleaned)

!!! There are also other means of expressing resultativeness, namely the periphrastic passive can have this interpretation (e.g.: bylo uvařeno (=lit. was cooked)); however, such cases have not been recognized so far.

6.4.7. Values of the iterativeness grammateme

One of the basic values (it0 or it1) of the iterativeness grammateme (see Section 5.15, "The iterativeness grammateme") is assigned to all finite verb forms, infinitives, participles and transgressives (i.e. to all semantic verbs).

The it1 value is assigned to nodes representing multiple/iterated events; so far, it seems to concern only the cases when a verb has one of the iterative suffixes: ívat / -ávat, -ávávat / -ívávat.

Nodes representing verbs in the sentences in which the iterative meaning is expressed by other means than by using one of the iterative suffixes (e.g. lexically) get the it0 value.

Examples:

Chodíval k nám často. [iterativeness=it1] (=He used to come to us quite often)

Chodí plavat pravidelně / každé pondělí. [iterativeness=it0] (=She goes swimming regularly / every morning)

Zaplaval si [iterativeness=it0] a odešel. [iterativeness=it0] (=He swam for some time and left)

Plaval dvě hodiny. [iterativeness=it0] (=He swam for two hours)

!!! This is only a temporary solution.