ABSTRACT
In the present paper, the perfective aspect and perfect categories in Classical Japanese (CJ), as expressed by the verb suffixes -NU, -TSU, -TARI and -RI, are analyzed in closeup on a sample of representative texts.1 It is shown that the occurrence of these suffixes in CJ must be understood as determined by several semantic parameters: in particular, CLOSURE interacts with DIRECTIONALITY and CONTROL. Of these, DIRECTIONALITY, i.e. the distinction between SOURCE-orientation and GOALorientation, determines the occurrence of the aspect suffixes after motion verbs. It is suggested that this distinction might be pivotal in the whole range of innovations which has led to the CJ aspect system.
