Based on an earlier edition published in 1992 in Bulgarian, this book
offers a specific approach to one of the most controversial problems in
linguistics. According to it, aspect is the result of a subtle and
complex interplay between the referents of verbs and nouns in the
sentence. Special attention is paid to the role nouns and noun phrases
play in the explication of aspect in English (and similar languages).
The grammatical marking of aspect is shown to be a compensatory
phenomenon imposed by language structure. Comparisons made using Slavic
(mainly Bulgarian) data reveal that compositional aspect is a mirror
image of verbal aspect. When explicated compositionally, aspect is also
determined by pragmatic factors. Ultimately, it is part of man's
cognitive potential.