Aspectual choice and the presentation of narrative: an application to Herodotus' histories
- Author
- Klaas Bentein (UGent)
- Organization
- Abstract
- In this article, I analyze how aspectual choice contributes to the presentation of Herodotus’ narrative. I argue that the choice for the imperfect versus the aorist tense for foregrounded events brings about a ‘perspectival effect’ (de Jong van den Berg 2000): while the aorist conveys an ‘external’ perspective, the imperfect suggests an ‘internal’ perspective of a character witnessing the events. I show that such an internal perspective is particularly often adopted at dramatic moments (e.g. battle-scenes, natural disasters, human suffering), thus supporting the thematics of the story. This ‘interpersonal’ dimension of aspectual choice is framed within a larger aspectual model, which furthermore recognizes an ‘ideational’ and a ‘textual’ dimension. I conclude the article by comparing my own approach to that of Bakker (1997), who under the heading of ‘narrative modes’ came to similar findings with regard to Thucydides.
- Keywords
- METAPHOR, GREEK, aspect, external/internal perspective, narrative strategy, Herodotus
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Citation
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-5707557
- MLA
- Bentein, Klaas. “Aspectual Choice and the Presentation of Narrative: An Application to Herodotus’ Histories.” GLOTTA-ZEITSCHRIFT FUR GRIECHISCHE UND LATEINISCHE SPRACHE, vol. 92, 2016, pp. 24–55.
- APA
- Bentein, K. (2016). Aspectual choice and the presentation of narrative: an application to Herodotus’ histories. GLOTTA-ZEITSCHRIFT FUR GRIECHISCHE UND LATEINISCHE SPRACHE, 92, 24–55.
- Chicago author-date
- Bentein, Klaas. 2016. “Aspectual Choice and the Presentation of Narrative: An Application to Herodotus’ Histories.” GLOTTA-ZEITSCHRIFT FUR GRIECHISCHE UND LATEINISCHE SPRACHE 92: 24–55.
- Chicago author-date (all authors)
- Bentein, Klaas. 2016. “Aspectual Choice and the Presentation of Narrative: An Application to Herodotus’ Histories.” GLOTTA-ZEITSCHRIFT FUR GRIECHISCHE UND LATEINISCHE SPRACHE 92: 24–55.
- Vancouver
- 1.Bentein K. Aspectual choice and the presentation of narrative: an application to Herodotus’ histories. GLOTTA-ZEITSCHRIFT FUR GRIECHISCHE UND LATEINISCHE SPRACHE. 2016;92:24–55.
- IEEE
- [1]K. Bentein, “Aspectual choice and the presentation of narrative: an application to Herodotus’ histories,” GLOTTA-ZEITSCHRIFT FUR GRIECHISCHE UND LATEINISCHE SPRACHE, vol. 92, pp. 24–55, 2016.
@article{5707557,
abstract = {{In this article, I analyze how aspectual choice contributes to the presentation of Herodotus’ narrative. I argue that the choice for the imperfect versus the aorist tense for foregrounded events brings about a ‘perspectival effect’ (de Jong van den Berg 2000): while the aorist conveys an ‘external’ perspective, the imperfect suggests an ‘internal’ perspective of a character witnessing the events. I show that such an internal perspective is particularly often adopted at dramatic moments (e.g. battle-scenes, natural disasters, human suffering), thus supporting the thematics of the story. This ‘interpersonal’ dimension of aspectual choice is framed within a larger aspectual model, which furthermore recognizes an ‘ideational’ and a ‘textual’ dimension. I conclude the article by comparing my own approach to that of Bakker (1997), who under the heading of ‘narrative modes’ came to similar findings with regard to Thucydides.}},
author = {{Bentein, Klaas}},
issn = {{0017-1298}},
journal = {{GLOTTA-ZEITSCHRIFT FUR GRIECHISCHE UND LATEINISCHE SPRACHE}},
keywords = {{METAPHOR,GREEK,aspect,external/internal perspective,narrative strategy,Herodotus}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{24--55}},
title = {{Aspectual choice and the presentation of narrative: an application to Herodotus' histories}},
volume = {{92}},
year = {{2016}},
}