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TOPIC 18. LOCATION IN TIME. TIME RELATIONS. FREQUENCY - Coggle Diagram
TOPIC 18. LOCATION IN TIME. TIME RELATIONS. FREQUENCY
INDEX
INTRODUCTION
LOCATION IN TIME
A) THE CONCEPT OF TIME
B) TIME AND DISCOURSE
TIME RELATIONS
3.1. TIME POSITION
3.2. TIME DURATION
A) ADJUNCTS
B) VERB TENSE AND ASPECT
FREQUENCY
4.1. SEMANTIC CLASSIFICATION
4.2. SYNTACTIC FUNCTION
A) ADVERBIALS
B) ADJECTIVES AND VERBS
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
LOCATION IN TIME
means to establish a time reference for an event or action we refer to in an utterance.
represents semantic notions
responds to questions like "when" and "how often"
ENG speakers understand such complex expressions (after she had come) because of the knowledge of linguistic structures and vocabulary thanks to their understanding of the spatio-temporal framework.
2.1. THE CONCEPT OF TIME
*universal concept, measured continuum that lacks spatial dimensions.
All languages have this notion and ways of distinguishing actions/ideas in the frames of present, past, future.
Most obvious referent for time = that of the moment of speaking and it marks the present time.
Past and future time are established in relation to the present time.
2.2. B) TIME AND DISCOURSE
extra-linguistic concept of time
is reflected in ENG through forms which refer to the
present/past/future
Addressee
can understand the exact meaning of forms by relating them to a temporal framework
of the context of the given utterance.
Deictis categories & other expressions for time location in ENG
deictis = expressions that refer to time
Adverbs, prepositional phrases, nouns, subordinate clauses
: syntactic function is that of adverbial, usually expressed by means of adverbs (often), prepositional phrases (every now and then) or whole clauses.
Tense and aspect in verbs
: form specifies the location in time by means of tense and aspect marked on the verb of the sentence.
Adjectives or nouns
as part of any other element of the clause. Words used this way are often the same as or morphologically related to those used as adverbials (recent events)
3. TIME RELATIONS
Acc. to
Quirk
, time expressions can be divided into
3 main classes
: time position, time frequency and time duration
3.2. TIME DURATION
A)
Adjuncts
: 3 types that relate to time as a linear dimension. They can serve as a response to a how long question.
Forward span: can be realised by until/before or by
noun phrases with quantifiers are involved
(or so).
Backward span: "since",
introducing either a prepositional phrase or clause or used alone as an adverbial
. Backward span is elicited by questions such as "How long / since when"
General duration: to
express measures or time
that are not specifically confined to the future or past. Examples: Momentarily, permanently
B) Verb
tense
: 2 main group of tenses are present and past tenses which are distinguished by the presence of inflectional endings and the use of auxiliary verbs.
Forms that refer to the future: will
Present or past do not necessarily mean their chronological moment, with present perfect or using past simple in a present sentence you can alter time to emphasise.
C)
Aspect
: grammatical category which refers to the flow and segmentation of time.
The
progressive
aspect implies that the described action lasted for some time.
The
perfective
aspect can also contribute to the meaning of duration in certain uses.
*The sense of repetitiveness of actions can be conjoint by use of progressive or perfective
3.1. Time Position
Time when expressions that establish the time or moment when the proposition of the utterance is true.
3.1.1.
SEMANTIC CLASSIFICATION
: 2 categories according to
meaning
Those denoting a time:
adverbials: late
adjectives: then
Those denoting a boundary of time = point of time from which that boundary is measured:
prepositions: before, after, since
adverbials: afterwards, earlier
adjectives: former, previous
3.1.2. SYNTACTIC FUNCTIONS
The most common are adverbials that can belong to the group of adjuncts (posited at the end of a clause) or subjuncts (position varies depending on meaning).
Prepositions
in
(before periods of time),
on
(before days/dates) and
at
(before exact times)
adverbs: yet, late, recently, initialy
prepositional phrases: after tomorrow
Nouns: in July
Clauses: when you're ready
3.1.3. Relations between different time positions
Position
before another position
, given as time reference: earlier, former, previous. Examples of adverbials: as yet
Position
simultaneous
with another position, given as time reference: contemporary, simultaneous. Examples of adverbials: at this point
Position
consequent
to another position, given as the time-reference. Examples of adverbials: afterwards, again
4. TIME FREQUENCY
refers to the number of times some event or actions are repeated.
4.1. SEMANTIC CLASSIFICATION
time frequency expressions are usually adverbials, and more specifically adjuncts. Frequency adjuncts can be divided semantically into 2 major subclasses:
Definite
frequency adjuncts: naming
explicitly
the times measuring the frequency, they can be subdivided into 2 more concepts: period (annually) or number (once) frequency
Indefinite
frequency adjuncts: do not explicitly name the times measuring the frequency, they can be subdivided into 4 more concepts: usual occurrence, continuous frequency, high frequency, low/zero frequency
4.2. SYNTACTIC FUNCTIONS:
A)
ADVERBIALS
are the main syntactic function which serves to
express frequency
Position
: in mid-position or final position depending if they are indefinite or definite. If placed initially, adjuncts with non-assertive meaning oblige us to invert subject and operator
Multipliers: twice a day
noun phrases with quantifiers: every day
adverbs: often
prepositional phrases: on several occasions
nouns referring to days of the week: mondays
clauses: as many times as you want
When time adjuncts co-occur in the same sentence at the end, time frequency goes before time-position
REFERENCES
Quirk, R., et al. (1985). "A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language".
Rossiter, A. (2021). "The Importance of Grammar"
Crystal, D. (2012). "English as a Global Language"
Canale, M. & Swain, M. (1980). "Theoretical Bases of Communicative Approaches to Second Language Teaching and Testing"
