We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
Pure relative tense
In chapter 2 we illustrated absolute tense, whereby the reference point for the location of a situation in time is the present moment. We now turn to relative tense, where the reference point for location of a situation is some point in time given by the context, not necessarily the present moment. The phenomenon of relative tense will first be illustrated by examples from English: although English finite verb forms have absolute time reference in nearly all instances (for exceptions, see chapter 6), English non-finite verb forms characteristically have relative time reference. Subsequently, examples will be cited from other languages, in particular languages where relative time reference plays a more substantial role in the grammar overall, whether in non-finite constructions (e.g. Latin) or in finite constructions as well (e.g. Classical Arabic).
But before looking at relative tenses, in particular in contrast with absolute tenses, it will be useful to look at the conceptually identical distinction with time adverbials, since here it is somewhat easier to see precisely the factors involved. Some time adverbials serve specifically to locate a situation relative to the present moment, e.g. today (the day including the present moment), yesterday (the day preceding the day including the present moment), tomorrow (the day following the day including the present moment); in our terminology, these are all instances of absolute time reference.
To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.
