Aspect and temporal relations
This thesis investigates how native and second language (L2) speakers of Spanish interpret temporal relations (the order of states and events in time) as described in a sentence. The focus is on Grammatical Aspect, which conveys whether situations are terminated or ongoing, as expressed by perfective and imperfective aspect forms, respectively. In a complex sentence with a main and a secondary clause, such as Mary said that John was sick, John’s illness may be understood as either simultaneous with or anterior to Mary’s report. Through a series of experimental studies, the thesis shows that Grammatical Aspect plays a determining role in establishing temporal relations in these sentences. Imperfective aspect allows for simultaneity, whereas perfective aspect blocks it, regardless of whether the verb in the secondary clause describes a state or an event. For L2 learners, the findings show that Aspect is particularly difficult to master when Spanish uses a single form to express multiple aspect meanings. Even advanced learners were unable to extend their knowledge of Aspect from simple to complex sentences, suggesting incomplete acquisition. On a theoretical level, these findings support generative models of L2 acquisition, highlighting the effect of transfer of knowledge from the native language. Methodologically, the research introduces novel approaches for assessing temporal interpretation. Pedagogically, it reveals the need to explicitly teach how Aspect functions in both simple and complex sentences, especially when the native and target languages diverge in their expression of Aspect.