ENGLISH VERB-FORMS AND THEIR PATTERN-VALUE

Time-distinctions find their expression in verb-forms. English grammatical terminology has a special word tense to indicate time at which an action or state is viewed as happening or existing. The speaker's subjective use of distinctions of Time drawn in accordance with the conventions of the language is naturally primary in importance.

The system of the English verb offers its own difficulties for a foreign student to master. The most troublesome problems are concentrated in the area of the finite verb, and include, in particular, tense, aspect, and modal auxiliary usage.

The components of grammatical meanings in actual verb-forms are often not so separable as it might be suggested. Tense, mood and aspect appear to be closely entwined. The terms tense-aspect or, say, tense-mood seem therefore fully justified. We can hardly say that there are pure tenses, pure moods or pure aspects; two or three of these kinds of meaning are always inseparably present in any given verb form. This will be made clear if we identify the tense-forms by specifying their characteristic sentence-functions and look at the contrasting patterns rather than contrasting forms.

A major question in learning the grammar of the English verb is therefore to look for the difference of distribution in various contexts, linguistic or situational, where each verb-form occurs.

Distinction must be made between paradigmatic (primary) and syntagmatical (secondary) meanings of grammatical forms, in other words, between its denotative and connotative meanings.

In the power of connotation of grammatical forms lies the reserve force of language. Grammatical imagery plays such a considerable role in the formal arrangement of units of speech as to deserve our particular attention.

The study of verb-forms must reasonably include their functional transpositions where we distinguish: a) formal conventional transpositions in fixed patterns of grammatical usage and b) expressive transpositions for stylistic purposes. The former are stylistically unmarked and emotionally neutral; the latter are marked and have a stylistic value.

THE PRESENT TENSE

In the practice of perhaps all languages the idea of "now" means a time with appreciable duration the length of which varies greatly with the context. It is important only that the theoretical zero-point should fall within

the period alluded to. The verb-form itself does not imply the length of duration before or after the present moment covering a very wide range of meaning as well as expression of intermittent occurrences. The implied context, linguistic or situational, is all that can be considered relevant.

The multiple polysemantic essence of the present tense merits close attention as most directly relevant to the problem of synonymy in grammar.

In these terms, the present tense may be characterised by distinguishing the inclusive and exclusive present. The first will include:

1) the actual present denoting an action occurring at the moment of speaking or writing. I see an aeroplane. The teacher wants to speak to you. I love you.

Here belong also author's words, stage remarks, comments in newspapers, etc., e. g.: Goes behind the screen. Opens the door. Bell rings.

2) the neutral present used when no particular time is thought of; depending on the context it may indicate:

a) something that is always true, e. g.: The sun rises in the east (generalising present);

b) actions permanently characterising the subject, e. g.: Fleur does what she likes (qualitative present);

c) ability to do something, e. g.: She speaks three languages. (She can speak three languages).

The neutral present is also used in giving a definition or stating a rule. This may be called present of definition, e. g.: Water freezes below zero.

As a matter of fact, in such cases an action or state denoted by the present tense can be referred to any sphere of time: present, past or future. Herein lies probably the reason of the fact that the frequency value of this verbal form is considerably higher in scientific English than in ordinary use.

3) the iterative present refers to an action repeated at intervals, the repetition being usually indicated by an adjunct like every day, twice weekly, always, etc., e. g.: I get up at eight every day. This paper appears twice weekly. We always go to the seaside in summer.

In terms of modern linguistics, the present tense is often characterised negatively, i. e. as the form used when there is no positive reason for the use of the past, future, or the subjunctive or any other complex conjugation form. As the unmarked item in the conjugation of the English verb, it is then called the neutral or non-past of the verb ¹. And this angle of view is not devoid of some logical foundations.

The syntagmatic meanings of the "exclusive" present may be illustrated by its use: a) with future time reference, b) with the implication of a past action, c) with imperative modal force.

This may be shown diagrammatically:

See: B. S t r a n g. Modern English Structure. London, 1964, p. 127.

The Present Tense

The primary denotative meaning (Inclusive Present)

a) I see an airplane

b) I love you.

I. Indicative Modality

II. Imperative Modality You go and see him.

The present tense recounts of a future action as vividly as if it were present.

Distinction must be made here between different shades of modal meaning and adherent expressivity imparted to the verb-form by different kind of contexts, linguistic or situational:

1) strong determination of the speaker to do something or get something done. This is often the case in familiar speech, in expressive or otherwise emphatic style, e. g.:

"If you mention her", cried Winifred, "I go straight outto Park Lane and Idon't come back". (Galsworthy)

"You may try, and try, and try again, Messrs. Dodson and Fogg", said Mr. Pickwick vehemently, "but not one far-thing of costs or damagesdo you ever getfrom me, if I spend the rest of my existence in a debtor's prison". (Dickens)

"Edward, said miss Murdstone", "Let there be an end of this. I go tomorrow". (Dickens)

2) strong certainty of future action viewed as a logical result or consequence of another given action, e. g.:

Don't go worrying about what may never happen, or you're lost. (Lindsay)

"Draw a form of settlement that passes all my property to Miss Fleur's children..." Gradman grated: "Rather extremely at your age, sir; you losecontrol". (Galsworthy)

Gosh! Here's a ring with a big blue diamond. Worth four thousand pounds. We'reon the velvet for the rest of our lives. (Shaw)

The use of the present tense with the implication of futurity imparts vivacity to speech and often serves stylistic purposes. And this is not

specifically English. There is a close parallel to this development in other European languages.

A. M. Peshkovsky¹ says with truth that in such cases the category of the present tense in Russian does not lose or modify its meaning, but just actualises it in vivid and clear relief, e. g.:

...To я воображаю себя уже на свободе, вне нашего дома. Я поступаю в гусары и иду на войну. Со всех сторон на меня несутся враги, я размахиваюсь саблей и убиваю одного, другой взмах — убиваю другого, третьего... (Л. Толстой)

"That dog", said Jerry, pointing out the old leader of the troop, and speaking in a terrible voice "lost a halfpenny today. He goes without supper". (Dickens)

She rose to the full extent of her more than medium height, and said: "It has been on my mind a long time dear, and if nobody else will tell you, I have made up my mind that" — "Aunt Hester interrupted her: "Mind, Julia, you do it— "she gasped — "on your own responsibility!" (Galsworthy)

The present tense with future time reference is known to be widely current in certain types of subordination. Distinction must be made between its different uses in object subclauses where it may be used:

a) without any special expressive connotation, e. g.: Suppose they come a few minutes later.

b) with expressive connotation or such modal shades of meaning as: strong determination, certainty or assurance, e. g.:

...But understand that if I decorate, I decorate alone,without interference of any sort. (Galsworthy)

Be sure that I come backwith good news, and I am not long gone.(Dickens)

"...And do I keep the change?"asked Stanley, who had been given a shilling. "I should think you don't, my lad!" cried Turgis. (Priestly).

"Well", he said, "I shall have to see Soames ...At all events I'll let you know what happenswhen I speak to Soames". (Galsworthy)

"Of course, there's legal separation — we can get that. But separation! Um" — "What does it mean?" asked Winifred desolately.— "That he can't touch you or you him; you're both of you married and unmarried."(Galsworthy)

The use of the present tense with the implication of futurity in object subclauses is rather a frequent occurrence after such verbs in the principal clause as: to be, to care, to hope, to look, to mind, to pray, to see, etc.

"Let's hope they stay there,"Mullinder said. "They want to finish off that lot once and for all this time." (Sillitoe)

The present tense may be functionally synonymous with the Present Perfect. This is often the case in patterns with verbs of saying, seeing and hearing. The present tense is employed here perfectively to imply "being in a state resulting from having..." Examples are:

Fly over my city, little Swallow, and tell me what you see there.(Wilde)

¹ See: A. M. Пешковский. Русский синтаксис в научном освещении. М., 1938.

I hear, you couldn't wait two weeks for me. (Mitchell)

You've been to Switzerland,they tell me. (Galsworthy)

Reference is made here to a past action and the speaker uses the present tense as though the words had just been spoken, since he feels the matter as one of his present interest.

See also the following example:

"...The boy, where is he?"

"He is playing with some friends".

"With some friends? Will he be long?"

"About an hour".

"A fine little boy. I cometo speak with you about him". (Gordon) (I come = I have come).

The opposition present-past comes to be neutralised. The context is explicit enough to make the necessary meaning clear. In such cases the present tense is employed "perfectively", to imply "being in a state resulting from having...".

This use belongs chiefly to conversation and letter writing, and is common only in the first person, though, with the verb see the second person seems also to be "perfective" in such patterns as: You see I have done my best to help you.

The expressive element is well seen in stylistic transposition of the present tense with such past time reference as given below:

"Old Taylor told rather a good one at the pub yesterday"', he began. "It was a. wedding in the country. Rather a rough crowd of wedding guests, all waiting for the bride to get changed before they could get stuck into the booze and dancing. Well, one of the guests manages to get into the bride's room and he rapes her. No arguments".

Naturally, everybody is very upset and the best man makes a speech. He tells them that not a drop of booze is to be served until the wrong is righted. Everybody looks longingly at the brandy, but not a drop can they get. Time passes, when suddenly the best man comes running in again. He is beaming all over his face, and he calls for silence. 'It's all right, ladies and gents', he says. 'Honour is satisfied. The bloke apologised". (Gordon)

The change of the tense-forms with one and the same time reference îs a most effective stylistic device in expressive language. The present tense recounts the past viewed by the speaker as vividly as if it were present.

I hand the first book to my mother. Perhaps it is a grammar, perhaps a history or geography. I take a last drowning look at the page as I give it into her hand, and start off aloud at a racing pace while I have got it fresh. I trip over a word. Mr. Murdstone looks up. I trip over another word. Miss Murdstone looks up. (Dickens)

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