13. Tense
-
Toshiyuki Ogihara
Abstract
Tense is an extremely important ingredient of natural language in that a tense morpheme or some other expression carrying temporal information is virtually a required element in matrix sentences. It is clear that the temporal information conveyed by an entire sentence involves both an existential quantifier and contextual restriction to a salient past interval. However, it is not easy to provide a precise semantic contribution made by tense morphemes themselves because they interact with various types of temporal adverbials and quantificational expressions. The previous research suggests that overt or covert temporal adverbials (e.g., once, every Sunday, in the past) are carriers of temporal information and not tense morphemes themselves. Turning to embedded clauses, this chapter argues for the position that a verb complement clause denotes a property, i.e., a set of individual-time-world triples. The last section briefly discusses the interaction of tense and modality. Although tense and modality are largely independent of each other, there are some circumstances in which their interaction is undeniable. As an instance, the case of be going to is presented as a hybrid form involving both temporal and modal ingredients.
Abstract
Tense is an extremely important ingredient of natural language in that a tense morpheme or some other expression carrying temporal information is virtually a required element in matrix sentences. It is clear that the temporal information conveyed by an entire sentence involves both an existential quantifier and contextual restriction to a salient past interval. However, it is not easy to provide a precise semantic contribution made by tense morphemes themselves because they interact with various types of temporal adverbials and quantificational expressions. The previous research suggests that overt or covert temporal adverbials (e.g., once, every Sunday, in the past) are carriers of temporal information and not tense morphemes themselves. Turning to embedded clauses, this chapter argues for the position that a verb complement clause denotes a property, i.e., a set of individual-time-world triples. The last section briefly discusses the interaction of tense and modality. Although tense and modality are largely independent of each other, there are some circumstances in which their interaction is undeniable. As an instance, the case of be going to is presented as a hybrid form involving both temporal and modal ingredients.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- 1. Pronouns 1
- 2. Definiteness and indefiniteness 33
- 3. Specificity 70
- 4. Quantifiers 112
- 5. Bare noun phrases 149
- 6. Possessives and relational nouns 177
- 7. Mass nouns and plurals 204
- 8. Genericity 232
- 9. Aspectual class and Aktionsart 274
- 10. Perfect and progressive 313
- 11. Verbal mood 369
- 12. Deverbal nominalization 407
- 13. Tense 436
- 14. Modality 463
- 15. Conditionals 503
- 16. Propositional attitudes 532
- 17. Indexicality and De Se reports 562
- Index 619
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- 1. Pronouns 1
- 2. Definiteness and indefiniteness 33
- 3. Specificity 70
- 4. Quantifiers 112
- 5. Bare noun phrases 149
- 6. Possessives and relational nouns 177
- 7. Mass nouns and plurals 204
- 8. Genericity 232
- 9. Aspectual class and Aktionsart 274
- 10. Perfect and progressive 313
- 11. Verbal mood 369
- 12. Deverbal nominalization 407
- 13. Tense 436
- 14. Modality 463
- 15. Conditionals 503
- 16. Propositional attitudes 532
- 17. Indexicality and De Se reports 562
- Index 619
