Variación y contacto lingüístico

Abstract

This article focuses on time experienced in the present, that is, the present “progressive,” and examines its linguistic forms of expression in the city of Puno. While all groups draw on both the progressive (I am singing) and the non-progressive (I sing) forms, there is a noted difference in its frequency of use: those “from elsewhere” demonstrate a relative preference for the non-progressive form, whereas Puneños with a strong Quechua-Aymara tradition demonstrate a preference for the progressive form; and the group of traditionally urban Puneños prefers an equal use of both forms. The article suggests that there are two factors that contribute to explaining the high percentage of use of the progressive form: the situation of language contact itself and the need for bilinguals to explain the “durative".