aspectlike

Aspectlike is a term used in linguistics to describe readings or constructions that resemble grammatical aspect in signaling the temporal structure of events, but do not constitute true aspect marking. The label is descriptive and often debated, applied to phenomena that convey ongoing, habitual, or prospective interpretations through means other than standard aspect morphology. In practice, aspectlike readings may arise from lexical semantics, periphrastic expressions, adverbials, or cross-clausal context that shape how an event's duration and viewpoint are construed.

Typical targets include periphrastic constructions that express progressive or habitual meaning without dedicated aspect markers, adverbials that frame duration or repetition, and interactions between lexical aspect (Aktionsart) and tense or mood that yield noncanonical aspect readings. In languages with little or no overt aspect morphology, speakers may rely on context and other grammatical cues to derive aspectlike interpretations, making the boundary between aspect and aspectlike phenomena fluid.

Scholarly use of aspectlike varies by subfield, and there is no universal definition. It is mainly encountered in typology, cognitive semantics, and theoretical accounts of event structure. The term helps describe how temporality is encoded beyond formal aspect and highlights the non-morphological routes through which speakers access temporal viewpoint. See also: aspect, Aktionsart, lexical aspect, periphrasis, evidentiality.