Aspect as a scanning device in natural language processing

This chapter investigates the claim that aspect is a verbal device for constructing mental images of processes and these aspectual values correspond to the way(s) a process is profiled in different scanning modes: summary vs. sequential scanning and monosequential vs. polysequential scanning. This occurs through other cognitive abilities, such as chaining, scope of awareness, and zooming ((in) and (out)). The analysis is based on data from Standard Arabic. The study proceeds by presenting an overview of the aspectual system in Arabic and investigating the different facets involved: aspect as an image-building tool, aspect as a scanning device, scanning modes in Arabic (summary scanning, monosequential scanning, polysequential scanning) and, finally, scope of awareness and the process of zooming in aspectual representation.