Iterative verbs and their function in one North-Russian dialect

The article concerns the so-called iterative verbs and their function in one North-Russian dialect. It is proved that these verbs mostly refer to a past action taken as a fact with no reference to the time axis, whereas such parameters as frequency and remoteness of action are contextually bound. The basic, or invariant, meaning shows in all types of contexts, i.e. positive, negative and interrogative. Prefixed iterative verbs are treated separately; criteria for distinguishing them from imperfective verbs are suggested. Namely, it is claimed that a verb can be treated as prefixed iterative only, if it derives from an imperfective verb (which occurs in the same dialect) and tends to be used in contexts that are typical of unprefixed iterative verbs.