Tense

Time vs. Tense

Time Adverbials

Time vs. Tense

Time is subjective in the sense that it does not have
absolute reality outside the form of our perception of
the world; it is not inherent to objects.
Time is an epistemic notion as it mirrors our
experience of the world.
Time has a linear representation, which preserves the
sequential character of our perception of the world.
Time is infinite and segmentable: we perceive it as
unidirectional (going forward).

Time vs. Tense

Time is segmented along two different dimensions:
(i) A personal subjective estimate of duration
(ii) A public estimate based on the periodicity of natural
phenomena. Time measurement is subjected to
public agreement and it is based on the periodicity
of some observable natural phenomena.

Time vs. Tense

Tense represents the chronological order of events in
time, as perceived by the speaker, at the moment of
speaking, i.e. speech time (ST).
Tense is a deictic category, i.e. the moment NOW is
central in the sense that the past and the future represent
directions whose orientation depends on the speech
time.

A theory of Tense: Reichenbach 1947

Main components:
Speech Time (ST)
Reference Time (RT)
Event Time (ET)

A theory of Tense: Reichenbach 1947

Speech time specifies the moment of the utterance
(NOW).
Reference time specifies the time of the sentence; it
could overlap with ST or not. Reference time relates to
the present, past, future.
Event time specifies the time at which the event takes
place; it could overlap with RT or not.

A theory of Tense: Reichenbach 1947

(1) Marilyn won the prize last week.
ST = now
RT = past (last week)
ET is not specified (it is not known when exactly it was
that she won the prize) ET = RT
(2) Marilyn had already won the prize last week.
ST = now
RT = past (last week)
ET prior to ST (ET RT)

A theory of Tense: Reichenbach 1947

Q: What constituents indicate ST, RT and ET?
ST = now (always)
(3) John wrecked the car last night.
ST = now
RT ST (RT= past, last night)
ET = RT (ET is not mentioned, we dont know when
exactly last night he wrecked the car)

A theory of Tense: Reichenbach 1947

(4) She had already fallen asleep when I arrived home.
ST = now
RT ST (past, RT = when I arrived home)
ET RT (anterior = already, AUX have)
(5) Joan decorated the cake before midnight.
ST = now
RT ST (past, RT= midnight)
ET RT (anterior to RT, ET = before)

A theory of Tense: Reichenbach 1947

(6) Amos is preaching before next week.
ST = now
RT ST (future, RT= next week)
ET RT (anterior, ET + before)
A: Adverbials and tense morphemes indicate RT.
ET may be specified by a couple of elements:
(i) prepositions

A theory of Tense: Reichenbach 1947

(7) at, before, after > at = simultaneity with RT, before
= anteriority to RT, after = posteriority to RT.
(ii) Auxiliary verbs > have = anteriority to RT
ET can be identified only when RT has been already
specified.

A theory of Tense: Reichenbach 1947

Present simple
Present perfect
Present with future

RT=ST, ET =RT
RT= ST, ET RT
value RT=ST, ET RT

Past simple
Past perfect
Future in the past

RT ST, ET =RT
RT ST, ET RT
RT ST, ET RT

Future
Future perfect

RT ST, ET=RT
RT ST, ET RT

Tense

Tense is a functional category. It is defined as

combinations of ST, RT and ET ordered in terms of
simultaneity and sequentiality.

Tense
A common mistake in approaching the category of tense
is the belief that tense inflections alone mirror time in
grammar. In fact, time inflections are not enough to
render the temporal specification of a message. A proper
interpretation of temporal forms presupposes an
analysis of the relation between
(i) tense specficiation on the verb (i.e. the tense
inflections s, -ed) AND
(ii) temporal adverbials

Tense
The Inflection identifies the event denoted by the verb
phrase in the sense that it places that particular event in
time. A verb phrase consists of both its lexical head
(centre), the verb, and whatever complements the verb
selects.
We know that information about the selection of
complements by a verb represents part of the lexical
entry of that verb.

Tense
If we assume that the descriptive content of any verb is
the idea of event, we cannot conceive of this event
without taking into account the complements of the
respective verb as well as those explicit lexical means of
placing the event in time, i.e. the time adverbials.
This means that, when considering temporal
interpretation, we have to talk about temporal
interpertation at the level of the sentence or, at least, at
the predicate level.

Time adverbials
Time adverbials can be (i) adverbs, (ii) adverb phrases
and (iii) adverbial clauses. They specify reference time
(RT, present, past, future) together with the Tense
morphemes.
Tense morphemes, in their turn, are strongly related to
time adverbials. These adverbials add meaning to a
sentence and they might even disambiguate it.

Time adverbials
Sentences without
disambiguated due to

time

adverbials

may

be

(i) the context, which itself acts as a time adverbial

giving a certain temporal interpretation
(ii) the fact that people tend to maximize available
information we apply the relation of simultaneity
(present) wherever possible.

Time adverbials
(8) Albert is playing tennis.
Default reading = now, at present
Alternative reading = tomorrow (as part of an
arrangement, plan)
(9) Albert was playing tennis.
Default reading = then, in the past
Alternative reading = future in the past (as part of an
arragement, plan made in the past)

Time adverbials
The relation between time adverbials and speech time
NOW (ST) can be explicit or non-explicit. Depending on
the relation to ST, we classify time adverbials into:
(i) Anchored time adverbials, which are in an explicit
relation to ST in the sense that their interpretation is
determined relative to ST: now, yesterday, tomorrow
(ii) Unanchored time adverbials, which do not have an
explicit relation to ST and which are oriented to times
other than the utterance time: in June, on Friday.

Time adverbials
Depending on their form, time adverbials can be classified
into:
(i) Simple: yesterday, now, tomorrow
(ii) Complex
(iia) concatenated adverbials: yesterday afternoon,
tomorrow morning
(iib) preposition + noun: before noon, at noon

Time adverbials
(10) Bill telephoned us at 10 oclock.
(11) Bill telephoned us at 10 oclock in the morning last
Wednesday.
(12) Last Wednesday, Bill telephoned at 10 oclock in the
morning.
The adverbials in all the three sentences above specify RT.

Time adverbials
(13) Phyllis decorated the cake before midday.
ST = now
RT ST (past, RT = midday)
ET RT (anterior, ET = before)

Time adverbials
Depending on their sense, time adverbials are classfied into:
(i) Anterior () yesteday, ago, last - specified past
on Tuesday, in July - unanchored
(ii) Simultaneous (=) now, at the moment - specified present
(iii) Posterior () tomorrow, next, in
on Tuesday, in July

- specified future
- unanchored

The Present Tense

Present tense is associated with the present moment, the
speech time ST, in the sense that it may refer either to
(i) a point in time identified with ST
(ii) an interval that includes ST
As far as its factual status is concerned, the present is
between the past and the future.

The Present Tense: Generic

The present tense used in generic sentences refers to the
validity of a state at ST without making reference to a
particular situation / moment.
The generic present ascribes a property to the subject of
the sentence, it occurs in characterizing sentences.
Generic sentences are true of nouns that denote kinds:
(i) Bare plurals
(ii) Definite singular NPs
(iii) Mass nouns

The Present Tense: Generic

Generic sentences can also have indefinite noun phrase
subjects, proper name subjects or quantified subjects.

In this case, the locus of genericity is not the noun

phrase itself, but rather the sentence, i.e. these noun
phrase subjects get their generic interpretation only
when they occur in characterizing sentences.

The Present Tense: Generic

The generic present tense is associated with stative
situation types and can be found in (i) scientific
language, (ii) proverbs, (iii) definitions, (iv) geographic
statements, (v) in instructions.
Generic sentences denote timeless statements, they refer
to general / universal truths.

The Present Tense: Generic

(13) Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
(14) Blood is thicker than water.
(15) London lies on the Thames.
(16) The Plough is a group of seven bright stars.
(17) Surprisingly little is visible to us when we incline
our heads to the sky. Only about six thousand stars are
visible to the naked eye from Earth, and only about two
thousand can be seen from any one spot.

The Present Tense: Generic

ST = now
RT = ST (not specified)
ET = RT (always)

The Present Tense: Habitual

Habitual sentences indicate that a situation is repeated
with a certain frequency during an interval of time.
Since they do not focus on a particular situation but
rather on its repetition, they do not point to a specific
moment in time and in this respect they resemble
generic sentences. However, unlike generic sentences,
habitual sentences refe to an individual or an object of
which a property is true at speech time.

The Present Tense: Habitual

Very often, habitual sentences include adverbs of
frequency: (i) general ones (ever, never, usually, often,
seldom) or (ii) speific ones (three times a week, twice a
day, every two weeks).
Habitual sentences may be completely specified,
indicating both the frequency and the interval during
which an event extends.
Yet, more often than not, they have a less complete
temporal specification.

The Present Tense: Habitual

(18) a. They visit me every two days during holidays
specified frequency and interval
b. They visit me every day
unspecified interval, specified frequency
(19) a. He eats a lot of vegetables in winter
unspecified frequency, specified interval
b. He doesnt eat many vegetables
no frequency, no interval specified

The Present Tense: Habitual

ST = now
RT = ST
ET = ST (the frequency advebials specifies ET)

Instantaneous simple present

The instantaneous simple present refers to an event that
is assumed to be simultaneous with the moment of
speech (ST). It is used in
sports commentaries,
demonstrations,
war reports,
commentaries on pictures, books or movies,
stage directions,
exclamations

Instantaneous simple present

(20) Chivu takes the ball and passes it to tefan. tefan
sends the ball into the net. Goal!
(21) first, I roll out the pastry and then I add the mixture
and spread it
(22) Here comes the winner!
(23) In Gone with the Wind, Scarlet goes to a party.
(24) Seth and Minnie come forward as far as the lilac
clump He nudges Minnie with his elbow
(ONeill, Mourning Becomes Electra)

Instantaneous simple present

It is true that in most cases the event does not occur
exactly when it is mentioned, but this simultaneity is
rather subjective than objective.
Events that are simultaneous with ST may be expressed
either by (i) simple present or (ii) present continuous:
(25) He shuts the window / He is shutting the window.
The present continuous denotes an event going on at ST.
The present simple entails the completion of the
mentioned event.

Instantaneous simple present

The instantaneous present is also used with
performative verbs verbs that themselves are part of
the event they report such as accept, deny, name,
declare, pronounce. When having the instantaneous
value, the performative verb appears in the 1st person
singular or plural and may be accompanied by hereby:
(26) I name this ship Queen Mary.
(27)We sentence you to prison for life.
(28) I hereby pronounce you man and wife.

Instantaneous simple present

A perfomative act is felicitous on condition that the
persons and the circumstances involved in it are
appropriate for the invocation of the respective
procedure (for instance, (28) can be uttered only by a
city hall official / priest to meet the required felicity
condition).

Instantaneous simple present

Both habitual and generic sentences may take on the
instantaneous
interpretation
under
certain
circumstances:
(29) Swallows fly higher than doves. [generic]
(30) Look, swallows fly higher than doves.
[simultaneous reading in context look]
(31) He scores goals.
[habitual]
(32) He scores a goal
[instantaneous]

Instantaneous simple present

ST = now
ST = RT
ET = RT

Future reference
The simple present may acquire future reference in
(i) Simple sentences
(ii) Subordinate adverbial clauses of time (subordonate
circumstaniale de timp) and condition (subordonate
condiionale) introduced by after, as soon as, when,
before, if, unless, etc.

Future reference
In simple sentences, present with future reference is
accompanied by a temporal adverb that indicates the
reference time, i.e. future.
(33) The plane leaves for New York at 5 p.m. tomorrow.
The use of the simple present marks the fact that the
future event is bound to happen. In other words, the
anticipated event is attributed the same degree of
certainty that we assign to present / past events.

Future reference
For this reason, the simple present with future reference
represents the only marked way to express future time
in English. It refers to mostly official or collective
future plans / arrangements that cannot be changed. It
may relate to timetables, schedules, itineraries, etc.
(34) The caravan sets off tomorrow morning.
(35) We leave Bucharest on Monday morning, arrive in
London at noon and set off for Glasgow in the
evening.

Future reference
The use of the simple present with future reference in
adverbial clauses of time and condition is illustrated
below:
(36) Ill see what to do [when I meet him].
(37) [By the time you get there], the show will have
already started.
(38) I will be very unhappy [if our team does not win].

Future reference
If conjunctions such as when, if do not introduce a
time / conditional clause, the present with future
reference does not have to be used.
(39) I will talk to him when I see him.
Time clause
(40) I dont know when I will see him. Direct object
clause I dont know something.
(41) I will take my umbrella if it rains.
Conditional
(42) I dont know if it will rain. Direct object clause
I dont know something.

Historic Present
The use of present with past value is best known as the
historic present and represents a story tellers licence,
being typical of the oral narrative style.
The historic present is pretty frequent in connected
narratives: the speaker, as it were, forgets all about time
and imagines, or recalls, what he is recounting as
vividly as if it were now present before his eyes.
(Jespersen 1931: 117)

Historic Present
The simple present in this context occurs with a time
adverb that indictes a past moment:
(43) At that moment in comes a messenger from the
Head Office, telling me the boss wants to see me in a
hurry.
(example from tefnescu 1988)

Historic Present
A distinction has to be made between the historic
present described above and the present forms
employed to narrate fictional events.
The historic present is also used after verbs of linguistic
communication such as tell, say, learn, hear:
(44) Mary tells me that you are going to buy new
furniture (in a letter)
(45) Your correspondent, Mr. Pitt, writes in the March
issue that (the correspondence column of a journal)

Historic Present
In both of the above cases, the simple present stresses
the persistence in the present of the effect of a past
communication.
The historic present is used when describing an artist
and his work because this feels as if they were still
alive. The difference between using the present or the
past involves the speakers point of view: if she uses the
present, then she considers that the artist still survives
through his work; if she uses the past, she sees the artist
from a neutral viewpoint.

Historic Present
Compare:
(46) Brahms is the last great representative of German
classicism.
(47) Brahms was the last great representative of German
classicism.

Historic Present
The simple present appears in newspaper headlines to
announce recent events. It is also present in historical
summaries and tables of dates:
(48) Ex-president dies of heart attack.
(49) 1876 Brahms finishes his first simphony.

Historic Present
The simple present may also refer to imaginary
situations.
This fictional use makes reference to no real time, but to
an imaginary present, giving the reader / participant in
the conversation the impression that she is actually
witnessing the events described. In such cases, the
simple present often alternaties with a past tense.

Historic Present

(50) His lordship had no sooner disappeared behind the

trees of the forest, but Lady Randolph begins to explain
to her confidante the circumstances of her early life. The
fact was she made a private marriage
(W. Thackeray, The Virginians)

Historic Present

ST = now
RT ET (past, unspecified)
ET = RT