TaylorS wrote:Travis, could you give some examples if the usage of "have eaten/aten/ate"?
I could try, except that almost
every sentence that can contain one can contain the other, due to the different aspects being essentially interchangeable in place aside from how the speaker views the actions in question...
When trying to show distinctions, forms that reinforce this and which will very typically be used in practice are shown.
"They have eaten some of the Cheetos." - They have have not completed eating the Cheetos, also stated by
some of the, the eating of which is a process and not a fixed action.
"They have aten up all the Cheetos." - They have completed eating the Cheetos, reinforced by
up and
all, the eating of which is a process and not merely a fixed action, hence imperfective (i.e. perfect) rather than perfective.
?"The have ate the Cheetos." - This is typically not found, but is strictly speaking grammatical, indicating a singular act of eating all the Cheetos in one great munching.
"They have eaten dinner." - They have finished eating dinner (for now), even though occasionally seconds may not be out of the question.
"They have aten dinner." - They are have truly completed eating dinner, in a more final kind of way.
"They have ate dinner" - This is occasionally found, and shows eating dinner to be a singular, final act.
"He has eaten the Easter Bunny." - He has eaten, likely only part of, a (chocolate) Easter Bunny, as a process.
"He has aten the Easter Bunny." - He has completed eating a (chocolate) Easter Bunny, as a process, albeit one that may have been executed in one sitting.
"He has ate the Easter Bunny." - He has devoured a (chocolate) Easter Bunny in a singular act of gluttony.
"She has eaten the M&Ms." - She has eaten some sum of M&Ms, as a process.
"She has aten the M&Ms." - She has completed eating some sum of M&Ms, as a process.
"She has ate the M&Ms." - She has completed eating some sum of M&Ms as a singular act, regardless of quantity.