Aspectual properties of unaccusatives and
two kinds of transitives in Straits Salish

This study provides an analysis of the aspectual properties of unaccusatives, control transitives, and non-control transitives in the Saanich dialect of Straits Salish. In Saanich, unaccusatives are usually bare roots. Control transitives are derived from unaccusative roots with the control transitiviser –t which encodes an agent with a conscious control, while non-control transitives are derived from the same unaccusative roots with the non-control transitiviser -nax^w which introduces an agent without a conscious control (Montler 1986). This is not the only difference between the two types of transitives, however. I argue that unaccusatives and non-control transitives form a natural class as achievements, whereas control transitives are accomplishments. This conclusion is based on two well-motivated diagnostics, the culmination cancellation test (Bar-el et al. 2005) and the almost test (Dowty 1979).