Describe the function of aspectual pairs in Russian verbs that don't follow the standard perfective/imperfective relationship.

Aspectual pairs in Russian verbs typically consist of a perfective and an imperfective form, where the perfective verb denotes a completed action and the imperfective verb denotes an ongoing, repeated, or general action. However, some aspectual pairs deviate from this standard relationship, usually involving prefixed verbs where the prefix doesn't simply indicate completion. These non-standard pairs often arise because the prefix alters the core meaning of the verb in addition to, or instead of, just affecting the aspect. For instance, the verbs 'говорить' (govorit') - 'to speak' (imperfective) and 'сказать' (skazat') - 'to say' (perfective) are often presented as an aspectual pair. However, they actually differ significantly in meaning. While 'говорить' means 'to speak in general', 'сказать' means 'to say something specific' or 'to tell'. The pair 'класть' (klast') 'to place' (imperfective, multidirectional) and 'положить' (polozhit') 'to place' (perfective, unidirectional) are generally presented as aspectual pairs. The function of these non-standard pairs is not simply to distinguish between completed and ongoing actions, but also to introduce subtle semantic distinctions that go beyond aspect. These distinctions include nuances in meaning, purpose, or directionality of the action, giving the speaker more options to express subtle differences in meaning. The perfective verb in such pairs may denote a one-time action or completion *plusan additional nuance related to the prefix, while the imperfective verb denotes the general action. It's crucial to understand the separate meaning beyond mere aspect to accurately express the intended meaning.