1. Russian Aspect: From Theory to Pedagogy
Laura A. Janda
Universitetet i Tromsø
John Korba
University of North Carolina

2. Some of the great advantages of Cognitive Linguistics are that…
It is based on general cognitive capacities (embodied experience, metaphor)
It does not require mastery of a theoretical/terminological artifice
This makes it possible to take the results of scholarly research and translate them into pedagogical materials
(cf. Janda & Clancy 2002, 2006)

3. Interplay between theory and pedagogy
A theoretical model
is developed
to account for
a linguistic
phenomenon
The model
is extended
to apply to
an entire subsystem
in a language and
present it to learners
The extended model
reveals new
research opportunities
and amendments
to theoretical model
Comparison with
theoretical model
suggests further
pedagogical strategies

4. Overview What is the cluster model of Russian aspect?
Metaphorically motivated implicational hierarchy
Advantages over “pair” model
Cluster databases
Linguistic database
Pedagogical database
Implications for pedagogy
Online resource
Suggested teaching strategies and materials
Further implications
Type & token frequency
Entrenchment

5. The cluster model of Russian aspect
An extension of the pair model
Four types of Perfectives
Natural Perfective (NP): написать, сыграть
Specialized Perfective (SP): переписать, выиграть
Secondary Imperfective: переписывать, выигрывать
Complex Act Perfective (CA): пописать, поиграть, почихать
Single Act Perfective (SA): чихнуть

6. 1. The cluster model of Russian aspect
Metaphorical motivations
A completable activity is travel to a destination
Natural Perfective: написать, сыграть
Specialized Perfective: переписать, выиграть
A non-completable activity is motion without a destination
Complex Act Perfective: пописать, поиграть, почихать
A granular activity is made up of individual cycles
Single Act Perfective: чихнуть

7. 1. The cluster model of Russian aspect
The Implicational Hierarchy: A>(NP/SP)>CA>SA
Activity
щипатьi ‘pinch/pluck’
> (Natural/Specialized Perfective)
о(б)щипатьp ‘pinch/pluck’/выщипатьp ‘pluck out’
> Complex Act
пощипатьp ‘pinch/pluck a while’
> Single Act
щипнутьp ‘pinch/pluck once’

8. 1. The cluster model of Russian aspect
Implicational hierarchy accounts for 12 cluster structures:
A+NP (key #1)
A+NP+SP (key #2)
A+NP+SP+CA (key #3)
A+NP+SP+CA+SA (key #4) A
A+CA
A+CA+SA
A+SP
A+SP+CA
A+SP+CA+SA
A+NP+CA
A+NP+CA+SA
One more cluster type exists, but is rare: NP (perfectiva tantum)

9. 1. The cluster model of Russian aspect
Advantages of cluster model
Gives more information than pair model alone
Makes it possible to expect and interpret many more verbs, including ones often not listed in dictionaries
Integrates aspectual “anomalies” such as bi-aspectual verbs and motion verbs
Not really any harder to learn

10. 2. Cluster databases Linguistic database 306 clusters
Multiply stratified sample
Fully represents all non-productive verb classes
Samples of all productive verb classes

11. 2. Cluster databases Pedagogical database 266 clusters
Based on verbal lexicon of Nachalo and V puti
All clusters based on verbs with high token frequency; very little representation of verbs with low type frequency

12. Linguistic Database Pedagogical Database A+NP+SP+CA (key cluster 3)
18.3%
A+NP (key cluster 1)
36.1%
A+NP+SP (key cluster 2)
18%
19.5%
A+SP+CA
16.7%
13.2%
A+NP+SP+CA+SA (key cluster 4)
10.5%
6.8%
8.8%
A+CA
5.3%
A+CAP
8.5%
A+SP
4.9%
A+SP+CA+SA
7.5%
A+NP+CA
4.1%
A+CA+SA 5% A
2.3%
3.8%
1.1% 2%
0.8%
A+NP+CA+SA
0.3% NP
0.4% 0%

14. 3. Implications for pedagogy
Online resource:
Suggested teaching strategies
Option A: Gradual build-up of clusters
Option B: Clusters based on motion verbs
Suggested teaching materials
See exercises on handout

15. 4. Further implications
Type & token frequency
Entrenchment

16. Bibliography
Isačenko, A. V. Grammatičeskij stroj russkogo jazyka v sopostavlenii s slovackim – Čast’ vtoraja: morfologija. Bratislava: Izdatel’stvo akademii nauk, 1960.
Janda, Laura A. “A User-friendly Conceptualization of Aspect”, Slavic and East European Journal 47 (2003): 251–281.
Janda, Laura A. “Aspectual clusters of Russian verbs”, Studies in Language 31:3 (2007),
Janda, Laura A. “What makes Russian Bi-aspectual verbs special”, to appear in: Dagmar Divjak and Agata Kochanska, eds. Slavic Contributions to Cognitive Linguistics. Cognitive Linguistics Research. Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter. Forthcoming.
Janda, Laura A. and John J. Korba. “Beyond the pair: Aspectual clusters for learners of Russian” Forthcoming. (Provisionally accepted for Slavic and East European Journal).
Kagan, Olga and Frank Miller. V puti: Russian Grammar in Context. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1996.
Lubensky, Sophia et al. Nachalo, book 1 & 2. McGraw Hill, 2002.
Sasse, Hans-Jürgen Recent activity in the theory of aspect: Accomplishments, achievements, or just non-progressive state? Linguistic Typology 6,
Tatevosov, Sergej.“The parameter of actionality”. Linguistic Typology 6 (2002):