- •Introduction 220
- •§ 2. The phoneme, the morpheme, the word and the sen-Ic-nce are units of different levels of language structure. The phoneme is a unit of the lowest level, the sentence — of the highest.
- •Morphology
- •Introduction
- •The structure of words
- •§ 8. The word books-can be broken up in two parts: book-and -s. The content of the first part can be rendered by the
- •§ 10. The morphemes book- and -s differ essentially:
- •§ 13. Besides lexical and grammatical morphemes there exist some intermediate types.
- •§ 18. In accordance with their structure the following four types of stems are usually distinguished:
- •§ 70. A noun may be used in the function of almost any part of the sentence, though its most typical functions are those of the subject and the object. (See Syntax.) The Category of Number
- •§ 73. Since the 'singular' member of a number opposeme is not marked, the form of the opposeme is, as a rule, determined
- •§ 75. As a matter of fact, those nouns which have no number opposites are outside the grammatical category of number. But on the analogy of the bulk of English nouns they acquire
- •§ 77. As we have already seen (§62), variants of the same lexeme may belong to different subclasses of a part of speech.
- •§ 79. Nouns like police, militia, cattle, poultry are. Pluralia tantum, judging by their combinability, though not by form 3.
- •§ 80. Sometimes variants of a lexeme may belong to the same lexico-grammatical subclass and yet have different forms of number opposemes.
- •§ 82. Case is one of those categories which show the close connection (a) between language and speech, (b) between morphology and syntax.
- •Noun Grammemes in Speech
- •§ 88. The frequency of the occurrence of different grarn-rnemes in speech ' is different. We have analysed several
- •§ 90. The representatives of 'singular' grammemes constitute the bulH of nouns found in an English text (more than
- •§91. Nouns representing 'plural' grammemes may denote:
- •§92. Nouns represent ing 'common case' grammemes express a wide range of meanings, the exhaustive examination of which is hardly feasible. Here are some of them.
- •§ 93. As we have seen, 'possessive case' nouns occur a great deal less frequently than their opposites *.
- •§ 97. In the Russian language a noun in the genitive case may be adnominal and adverbial, I. E. It can be attached to a noun and to a verb.
- •§ 101. Let us compare the English noun with its Rir«ian ro'interpart. The five properties we use as criteria for distinguishing parts of speech will serve as the basis of comparison.
- •The adjective
- •§ 101. Adjectives are a part of speech characterized by the following typical features:
- •§ 104. Suppletive opposemes are few in number but of very frequent occurrence.
- •§ 111. The table below shows the relative frequency of the occurrence of the four grammemes in some literary texts
- •§ 113. In certain speech environments adjectives can be used .To communicate meanings in some respect different from those of the grammemes they belong to.
- •§ 115. Following is a brief comparison of the basic features of English and Russian adjectives.
- •The adverb
- •§ 116. The adverb is a part of speech characterized by the following features: *
- •§ 123. Quantitative adverbs like very, rather, too, nearly, greatly, fully, hardly, quite, utterly, twofold, etc. Show the degree, measure, quantity of an action, quality, state, etc.
- •§ 124. Circumstantial adverbs serve to denote various circumstances (mostly local and temporal) attending an action. Accordingly they fall under two heads:
- •§ 127. Circumstantial adverbs are mostly used in the function of adverbial modifiers of time and place.
- •§ 128. The words of an adverb lexeme like soon — sooner— soonest represent three grammemes with one actual grammat-
- •The numeral
- •§ 130. The numeral as a part of speech is characterized by
- •§ 131. The lexico-grammatical meaning of 'number' is not to be confused with the grammatical meaning of 'number'.
- •§ 133. In our opinion, the pair ten — tenth forms an oppo-seme of the grammatical category of numerical qualification.
- •§ 135. As to their stem structure English numerals fall into
- •§ 136. Numerals are easily substantivized, acquiring noun features.
- •Pronouns
- •4 Хаймович и др
- •§ 143. Since pronouns form a class chiefly on the basis of their semantical peculiarities, it is but natural that the
- •§ 144. The personal pronouns "are the nucleus of the class. They are: / (me), thou (thee)1, he (him), she (her), it, we (us), you, they (them).
- •§ 155. Like the personal and the possessive pronouns, the reflexive pronouns distinguish the lexico-grammatical meanings of person, number and gender.
- •§ 157. Se//-pronouns are often used in apposition for emphasis. Dickson's view on the Middle Ages themselves would have to wait until another time. (Amis).
- •§ 159. Demonstrative pronouns can be:
- •§ 162. The pronoun who is the only interrogative pronoun which has a case opposite, whom, as in Whom did you meet?
- •§ 163. The interrogative pronouns are used to form a definite type of sentence — special questions.
- •§ 181. Here belonged/- (others, other's, others'), another (another's) and otherwise.
- •§ 182. The pronoun one stands somewhat apart, outside the classification discussed above.
- •§ 183. As an indefinite pronoun it is usually a pro-adjective with the meaning "a certain" and refers to both living beings and inanimate things.
- •§ 184. As an indefinite or generalizhig personal pronoun one indicates only a person. It is a pro-noun. It has a case opposite one's and is correlated with the reflexive pronoun oneself.
- •§ 186. Summing up, we may say that the pronouns ere not united by any morphological categories, or syntactical functions. So they cannot be regarded as a part of speech.
- •The verb
- •§ 187. Analysing the verb in Modern Russian, V. V. VI-nogradov characterizes it as "the most complex and capacious part of speech" j. Likewise, a. I. Smirnitsky 2 stresses the
- •§ 188. As a part of speech the verb is characterized by the following properties:
- •§ 194. Semantically verbs divide into notional and semi-notional (see § 50).
- •§ 196. Modal verbs are characterized:
- •§ 200. As usual, variants of a verb lexeme may belong to different subclasses (see § 62).
- •§ 201. Verbs can be classified in accordance with the aspective nature of their lexical meanings into terminative and non-terminative 1.
- •§ 202. As usual, variants of the same lexeme may belong to different subclasses. When meaning '(to) engage in physical or mental activity', the verb (to)work is non-terminative.
- •§ 208. Participle II may have left-hand connections with link-verbs.
- •§ 213. Linguists disagree as to the category the 'perfect' belongs to.
- •§ 216. Let us take an extract from j. Galsworthy's novel To Let:
- •The Category of Aspect
- •§ 219. The problem of aspect is controversial in English grammar. There is but little consensus of opinion about this category in Modern English.
- •§ 220. The categories of tense and aspect characterize an action from different points of view. The tense of a verb shows 1 the time of the action, while the aspect of a verb deals with
- •§ 222. Besides those properties that characterize the verb as a whole, the finites possess certain features not shared by the verbids.
- •§ 224. Mood is the grammatical category of the verb reflecting the relation of the action denoted by the verb to reality from the speaker's point of view.
- •The Indicative Mood
- •§ 229. The indicative mood is the basic mood of the verb. Morphologically it is the most developed system including all the categories of the verb.
- •§ 233. The correlation of time and tense is connected with the problem of the absolute and relative use of tense gram-memes.
- •§ 236. In Modern English the category of person has certain peculiarities.
- •The Subjunctive Mood
- •§ 239. Probably the only thing linguists are unanimous about with regard to the subjunctive mood is that it represents an action as a 'non-fact', as something imaginary,
- •§ 240. The development of the modal verbs and that of the subjunctive mood — the lexical and morphological ways of expressing modality ] — have much in common.
- •§ 243. The 'passive voice' and 'continuous aspect' meanings are expressed much m the same way as in the indicative mood system.
- •§ 245. The difference between the two sets of opposemes /had written (order)
- •§ 246. What unites all the grammemes above and distinguishes them from the homonymous grammemes of the indicative mood as a system is
- •The Imperative Mood
- •Verb Grammemes in Speech
- •§ 252. The systems of different moods, as we know, contain different grammemes. We shall therefore discuss the grammemes of the indicative, subjunctive and imperative moods separately.
- •Indicative Mood Grammemes
- •§ 254. The action it denotes may either coincide with the moment of speech or cover a more or less lengthy period of time including the moment of speech.
- •§ 255. In a context showing that reference is made to the past, the present non-continuous non-perfect may be used to denote past events, mostly presented as the speaker's reminiscences.
- •§ 274. The present non-continuous perfect js regularly found in adverbial clauses of time and condition when the connotation of priority is implied.
- •§ 275. What makes the present non-continuous perfect fundamentally different from the past non-continuous non-perfect can be briefly summarized as follows:
- •§ 276. As a unit of the language system it presents an act in the past (past tense) unspecified as to its character (non-continuous aspect) and preceding some situation (perfect order).
- •§ 277. When used with terminative verbs it may acquire a distinct connotation of resultativity, as in
- •§ 278. The past non-continuous perfect may be inclusive in meaning if supported by the context.
- •§ 280. As a part of the verb system it presents a future action (future tense), unspecified as to its character (non-continuous aspect) and prior to some situation in the future (perfect order).
- •§ 281. As a language unit it presents an action associated with the present (present tense), viewed in its development (continuous aspect) and preceding some situation in the present (perfect order).
- •§ 285. The past continuous perfect has much in common with the present continuous perfect, the main difference between them being that of tense.
- •§ 286. Like the present continuous perfect it may be inclusive if supported by the context or else exclusive as in
- •§ 287. The future perfect continuous is actually nonexistent.
- •Voice Grammemes
- •§ 292. It has often been claimed that passive structures can be regarded as transforms of certain active structures 1.
- •§ 295. Representatives of subjunctive' I grammemes can be distinguished from their indicative and imperative mood homonyms as follows.
- •§ 296. Following are some types of clauses in which should grammemes and their synonyms are regularly used 1.
- •§ 297. The invited, wrote, were, etc. Grammemes of the subjunctive mood system and all the grammemes containing
- •Imperative Mood Grammemes in Speech
- •§ 303. Besides the features common to the English verb as a whole (see § 188) the verbids have certain features of their own distinguishing them from the finite verb.
- •§ 306. The verbids do not possess many of the categories of the finite verb, such as number, person, tense and mood.
- •§ 307. Here is a table presenting the paradigms of the verbids
- •§ 309. The functions of the verbids in the sentence are different from those of the finite verb. The latter regularly
- •§ 311. The infinitive is a verbid characterized by the following features:
- •§ 317. The participle is a verbid characterized by the following properties:
- •§ 319. As we have already mentioned, the adjectival and the adverbial features of the participle are connected with its combinability.
- •§ 321. The gerund is a verbid characterized by the following features:
- •§322. The gerund, like the infinitive, combines verbal and noun features, yet the gerund is more of a noun than the infinitive, which is to some extent explained by the fact
- •§ 324. The gerund, which is a peculiarity of the English language, is very extensively used as the centre of complexes (nexuses) synonymous with subordinate clauses. Compare:
- •§ 326. In compliance with the system adopted we shall now work out the comparison of the basic features of the English verb with those of the Russian verb.
- •The adlink (the category of state)
- •§ 327. In Modern English there exists a certain class of words such as asleep, alive, afloat, which is characterized by:
- •The modal words* (modals)
- •§ 329. As a part of speech the modals are characterized by the following features:
- •§ 331. The relatively negative combinability of modal words manifests itself in various ways.
- •§ 332. Functioning as a parenthetical element of a sentence, a modal word is usually connected with the sentence as a whole.
- •§ 333. The usage of modals depends upon the type of sentence. They are found almost exclusively in declarative sentences, very rarely in interrogative and almost never in imperative sentences.
- •The response words
- •§ 334. The response-words yes and no are characterized as a separate class by
- •§ 335. Practically every notional word can alone make a sentence in a certain situation of speech.
- •The interjection
- •The preposition
- •§ 345. As elsewhere the lexico-grammatical meaning of prepositions is an abstraction from their individual lexical meanings. Let us compare the following combinations of words:
- •§ 348. Bilateral combinability is typical not only of prepositions but of other linking words as well: conjunctions, link-verbs and modal verbs. But the combinability of prepo-
- •§351. The combinability of at in th'e last example resembles, to some extent, that of an adverb. Cf. To be laughed away (off).
- •The conjunction
- •§ 359. The combinability of subordinating conjunctions is somewhat different from that of coordinating ones.
- •§ 360. The division of conjunctions into coordinating and subordinating ones is chiefly based on their lexio-al meanings and the types of units they connect.
- •§ 361. According to their meanings coordinating conjunctions are divided into
- •§ 362. Though for and so are considered coordinating conjunctions, they are in fact intermediate between coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.
- •§ 363. The conjunctions are not numerous, but of very frequent occurrence in speech.
- •The article
- •§ 364. The two words a(n), the form a separate group or class characterized by
- •§ 367. Some grammarians speak of the 'zero article' 1 or the 'zero form of the indefinite article' 2. We are definitely against these terms.
- •§ 369. In accordance with its meaning 'one of many' the indefinite article is used to denote one thing of a class .And is therefore a classifying article.
- •The particle
- •§ 376. As a rule, the combinability of particles is unilateral and variable. They can specify different classes of words or clauses. Most of them precede the unit they specify, but some
- •§ 377. Like most particles not can be used with different classes of words or clauses (not he, not the student, not beautiful, not forty, not yesterday, not to see, not seeing, not when he comes).
- •Introduction
- •§ 381. Within a sentence, the word or combination of words that contains the meanings of predicativity may be called the predication.
- •§ 384. The main parts of the sentence are those whose function it is to make the predication. They are the subject and the predicate of the sentence.
- •§ 389. In the sentence Birds fly, as we have seen, the syntactical and the lexical meanings of the subject and the predicate go together. But English has a system of devices to separate them.
- •§391. Let us now consider the grammatical word-morphemes do, does, did in sentences like Does she ever smile"? We do not know him, etc.
- •§393. Every predication can be either positive or negative.
- •Ial complex»
- •§ 396. As defined (§ 3), when studying the structure of a unit, we find out its components, mostly units of the next lower level, their arrangement and their functions as parts of the unit.
- •§ 397. The development of transform grammar (Harris, Chomsky) and tagmemic grammar (Pike) is to a great extent
- •§ 401. Depending on their relation to the members of the predication the words of a sentence usually fall into two groups — the group of the subject and the group of the predicate 1.
- •A. As to Their Structure
- •§ 403. Sentences with only one predication are called simple sentences. Those with more than one predication have usually no general name 3. We shall call them composite sentences.
- •§ 404. The clauses of a composite sentence may be joined with the help of connective words (syndetically) or directly, without connectives (asyndetically).
- •§ 405. A simple sentence or a clause containing some words besides the predication is called extended. An unextend-ed sentence (clause) contains no other parts but the subject and the predicate.
- •§ 409. Not all interrogative sentences are syntactical opposites of declarative sentences.
- •§ 411. The sentences below form opposemes of some syntactical category.
- •§ 415. Let us compare the following pairs of sentences:
- •Combinations of Sentences
- •§ 418. We find no predication in the second sentence of the following dialogue.
- •§ 419. The sentence-words yes and no are regularly used as adjuncts of some head-sentences.
- •The simple sentence parts of the sentence
- •§ 421. The traditional classification of the parts of the sentence is open to criticism from the point of view of consistency.
- •§ 425. The subject of a simple sentence can be a word, a syntactical word-morpheme or a complex.
- •§ 430. The predicate is the member of a predication con taining the mood and tense (or only mood) components of predicativity. "
- •§ 431. The predicate can be a word or a syntactical word-morpheme. When it is a notional word, it is not only the structural but the notional predicate as well.
- •Predicative Complements (Predicatives)
- •Objective Complements (Objects)
- •§ 448. Like other parts of a simple sentence (clause), objective complements may be expressed by complexes and are then called complex objects.
- •Adverbial Complements (Adverbials)
- •§ 454. Below are some specimens of quantitative adverbial complements.
- •§455. Circumstantial adverbials, or as a. I. Smirnitsky calls them, adverbials of situation, comprise:
- •§ 457. As follows from the string of examples given above, in simple sentences adverbial complements are usually adverbs, nouns (mostly with prepositions), verbids and verbid complexes.
- •§ 458. Comparing English adverbials with those in Russian one can see that despite some common features (meaning, types), they are in a number of points different.
- •Attributes
- •§ 459. Attributes are secondary parts of the sentence serving to modify nouns or noun-equivalents in whatever functions they are used in the sentence.
- •§ 460. Attributes are formally indicated only by the position they occupy, save the demonstrative pronouns this, these, that, those which, besides, agree in number with the uord they modify.
- •§ 466. We do not dwell here on the so-called loose appositions because the latter (as well as other loose (detached) parts of the sentence) are discussed in detail elsewhere. 2 Extensions
- •Connectives
- •§ 469. Connectives are linking-words considered as a secondary part of the sentence. They are mostly prepositions and conjunctions.
- •9 Хаймовнч и др.
- •§ 473. Parenthetical elements are peculiar parts of the sentence.
- •§ 474. In accordance with their meanings parenthetical elements fall into four major groups:
- •§ 475. In a simple sentence parenthetical elements may be expressed by individual words (modal words, adverbs, nouns) and word-combinations of different nature.
- •§ 476. In most cases parenthetical elements are connected, in sense with the sentence as a whole, that is why they have no fixed position in the sentence.
- •§ 477. We have already dwelt upon the fact that in Modern "English syntactical relations of words in the sentence are very often indicated by the position the words occupy in the sentence.
- •II. The Position of the Object
- •§ 479. The direct object is usually placed after the verb unless the indirect object precedes it.
- •§ 480. Sometimes the object is pushed to the front of the sentence. It occurs:
- •§ 482. The indirect object cannot be used in the sentence without the direct object. The indirect object is regularly put before the direct object as in That gave me a new idea.
- •§ 483. In most cases they follow the direct object, though for stylistic purposes, I. E. For emphasis and expressiveness, they may be placed at the head of the sentence.
- •§ 487. The position of an attribute depends both on the head-word a nd on the attribute. If the head-word is a pronoun, the attribute is, as a rule, postpositive.
- •§ 488. In postposition attributes often acquire what we might call a 'semi-predicative' connotation.
- •§ 489. If there are two or more prepositive attributes to one and the same noun their order is dependent upon a number of factors which appear to be semantic and stylistic rather than grammatical. :
- •§ 491. As to the position of the other parts of the sentence, see the combinability of the corresponding parts of speech.
- •The compound sentence
- •§ 497. The compound sentence usually describes events in their natural order, reflecting the march of events spoken of in the sequence of clauses. '2
- •The complex sentence
- •§ 498. The principal clauses of complex sentences are usually not classified, though their meanings are not neutral with regard to the meanings of the subordinate clauses.
- •§ 502. Subordinate clauses are connected with the principal clause by conjunctions, conjunctive and relative pronouns or asyndetically.
- •§ 506. The mood of the predicate verb of a subordinate clause depends on the principal clause to a greater extent than its tense.
- •§ 507. The subject clause is the only one used in the function of a primary part of the sentence.
- •Complement Clauses
- •§ 519. A variety of attributive clauses is the appositive clause, which formally differs from an attributive clause in being introduced by a conjunction (that, if, whether].
- •Extension Clauses
- •§ 520. Extension clauses are postpositive adjuncts of adjectives, adverbs and adlinks.
- •Parenthetical Clauses
- •§ 521. Most authors who do not regard parenthetical elements as parts of the sentence treat It is past ten, I think as a simple sentence 1. We do not find this view convincing. -
- •§ 522. In most cases parenthetical clauses are introduced asyndetically, though now and again the conjunctions as, if, etc, are used.
- •§ 523. Sometimes subordination and coordination may be combined within one sentence, in which case we may have compound-complex and complex-compound sentences.
- •Direct and indirect speech
- •§ 524. Among the composite sentences of English and other languages we find a peculiar type differing from the rest.
- •§ 525. There is no agreement as to the syntactical nature of a sentence like He said, "I love you".
- •§ 527. The introductory part of direct speech may precede the quotation, follow it, or be inserted in it.
- •§ 528. The so-called 'indirect speech' does not differ grammatically from the conventional types of sentences.
- •§ 529. The "rules for changing from direct into indirect speech" found in most English grammars are rules for reducing two predicative centres to one — that of the author.
- •§ 532. The abundant use of grammatical word-morphemes compensates the English verb system for the scarcity of inflexions. This is another striking feature of English, as com-
- •§ 537. The role of grammatical word-morphemes is even greater in English syntax than in morphology.
- •§ 539. It is owing to most of the features described above that Modern English is spoken of as an analytical language.
§ 254. The action it denotes may either coincide with the moment of speech or cover a more or less lengthy period of time including the moment of speech.
1 "The distinctions of person and number (he has walked, I have walked, etc.) are not relevant dimensions of the chronological system. Forms representing those distinctions are in free variation in respect to the system Herein the distinctions will be ignored and the various forms used interchangeably." W. Diver. The Chronological System of the Englts/г Verb, Word. 1963, v. 19, No. 2, p. 141.
158
The present non-continuous non-perfect thus shows a dialectical combination of polar meanings '.
It denotes an action as occurring at the moment of speech when found with verbs not commonly used in the continuous aspect 2 (as in \ou see the joke, don't you?), or when the situation of speech shows that it is the fact itself that is important, but not the progress of the action, as in There goes Tom. Why do you s h о и t at me? -
When the present non-continuous non-perfect expresses an action that goes on forever and consequently takes place at the moment of speech as well 3, it implies that the statement was true in the past, it is true now and it will continue to be true in the future 4. It implies that time is unimportant to the truth of the statement.
E. g. Radio waves, t r a v e I in straight lines, or Tissues consist of cells.
When so used it is referred to as the 'supertemporal' or 'extemporal' present.
We do not hold with these terms since action cannot develop otherwise than in time. I. P. Ivanova aptly suggests that it should be termed 'omnitemporal' rather than 'super-temporal' or 'extemporal' 6.
As seen from the examples the present non-continuous non-perfect is particularly well suited to formulate the laws of science.
§ 255. In a context showing that reference is made to the past, the present non-continuous non-perfect may be used to denote past events, mostly presented as the speaker's reminiscences.
When employed in this function it is often termed 'historic' or 'dramatic' present. It can only be used if there is something in the context or in the situation of speech to show that the events described belong to the past.
/ remember it as vividly аь if it had happened yesterday. The old general shakes my hand, smiles and says: Well done, son. (The Worker).
1 В. В. В и н о г р а д о в, ор ей., р. 572.
2 See § 221
3О. Есперсен. Философия грамматики 4 The English Journal, 1961, December, No. 9, 6 И. П. И в а н о в a, op. cit, p. 33.
M., 1958, p. 660.
p. 312.
159
Curme also mentions the so-called 'annalistic' present, a variety of the historical present used when some well known events or public figures of the past are spoken of. No other reference to the past may then be necessary.
E. g. Then Edward the Elder wins back Essex. (Hearn-shaw).
The historical present functions as a stylistic device imparting vividness and expressiveness to narration, bringing past events nearer the hearer (or reader), making them unfold before the speaker's eyes. Somewhat allied to this is the use of the present non-continuous non-perfect when we quote an old author feeling that his words 'have weight in the questions of the hour' (Curme).
Galsworthy says that humour is as essential to man as the scent to the rose.
§ 256. The present non-continuous non-perfect sometimes occurs with such verbs as to hear, to forget, to learn, to tell with reference to a past act where one might expect the present perfect to show that the act is viewed as one of present interest.
We h,e a r you are engaged to be married. (Jerome).
§ 257. The present non-continuous non-perfect may be used to denote a future action. The usage has been handed down from Old English with its two-tense system, in xyhich a future action was regularly denoted by the present tense.
When employed in the simple sentence to denote a future act the present non-continuous non-perfect mostly occurs with verbs denoting concrete acts l (such as to come, to leave, to sail, to go, to dine, to break up, to graduate, to meet, to see, to remain, to start, to take place, etc.).
When so used it has a distinct modal force. It is used with the implication of the certainty of fulfilment2.
Consequently one can see that though the usage is a very old one, it has acquired a new meaning not observed in Old English.
Quite naturally, the present non-continuous non-perfect used in reference to the future occurs, as a 'rule, in a context
See И. П. Иванов a, op. cit., p. 41.
Q. Curme, op. cit., p. 356.
160
indicating futurity (with such adverbials as tonight, tomorrow, next week, etc.).
It is regularly found in adverbial clauses of time and condition if the verb of the principal clause denotes a future act, i. e. if it is used a) in the future tense, b) in the imperative mood, c) in the present tense and is followed by an infinitive with a future meaning.
/ will try and be at Throop Street if nothing interferes. (Dreiser).
Answer by special message when you g e~~t this. (Ib.).
/ want to speak with you before we meet at the theatre. (Ib.).
L. S. Barkhudarov and D. A. Shteling x see the cause of this usage in the modal tinge of the present non-continuous non-perfect. In their opinion'the present in the subordinate clause stresses the reality of the condition or circumstances represented by the subordinate clause. It leaves some room for doubt, however, because it does not explain why the usage is confined to definite types of clauses.
I. P. Ivanova 2 believes that the use of the present in the subordinate clauses of time and condition results from the fact that the idea of futurity is sufficiently clear from the form of the verb in the principal clause and the semantics of the conjunction.
The form of the verb in the subordinate clause expresses no temporal meaning of its own, and is adjusted to that of the principal clause, which accounts for the retention of the older form (of the present tense) in the subordinate clause.
§ 258. We can say that as compared with other groups of verbal grammemes the present indefinite non-perfect is the richest in temporal meanings, since it serves to represent an action as belonging not only to the present, but to the past and to the future as well.
The Past Non-Continuous Non-Perfect
§ 259. As a part of the verb system it may be said to present an action in the past (past tense) unspecified as to its continuity or entirety (non-continuous or common aspect) or correlation with other situations (non-perfect order).
1 Op cit., p. 409.
2 И П Иванова, op. cit., p. 43.
6 Хаймович и др
161
Used in speech it can denote isolated acts, a succession of events, recurring actions, etc., the aspective colouring being dependent on the meaning of the verbs and the context it occurs in
E.g. I looked in her eyes again. (Hemingway).
/ looked in her eyes, put my arm around her and kissed her. (Ib.).
In the late summer of that year we I i v e d in a house in a village that looked across the river and the plain to the mountains. (Ib.).
§ 260. Since it denotes an action which precedes the moment of speech, i. e. it is associated with a time limit, it is not very well suited to represent permanent actions l, in other words, it is less general in sense than the present non-continuous non-perfect, that is why it is but rarely used in 'omnitemporal', 'generic' meaning, though this is not altogether impossible.
E. g. Faint heart never won fair lady. (Proverb).
The idea conveyed is that what was true for the past is true for the present and the future. Likewise in It w a s ever thus 2. This is however, a purely literary device.
§ 261. The past non-continuous non-perfect is largely used in narration. This is, as it were, its main sphere as seen from the examples below. The share of this grammeme in narration with reference to the past is about 82.4 per cent.
My friend s a w the priest from our mess going by in the street, walking carefully in the slush, and p о и п d e~d on the window to attract his attention. The priest looked up. He s a w us and smiled. My friend motioned for him to come in. (Hemingway).
§ 262. The past non-continuous non-perfect functions as a relative tense when denoting a future act viewed from the past (with a modal tinge of certainty, see § 257).
E. g. I was duly informed that school broke in a fortnight and my services would no longer be required. (Buck).
1 И. П. Иванова, op. cit., p. 46.
2 Quoted by M. Mincoff. An English Grammar. Sofia, 1958, p. 128.
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§ 263. Another instance of its relative use may be seen in cases like Tell her I died blessing her ' in which died denotes an act in the past as viewed from the future with a distinct subjective connotation of 'inevitability'.
The Future Non-Continuous Non-Perfect
§ 264. The future non-continous non-perfect is analytical in structure. It is built up with the help of the word-morphemes 'shall' and 'will'.
In certain cases it is no easy matter to say whether shall or will is a word-morpheme or a modal verb. In a sentence like / am afraid he will refuse to confess we cannot say with any degree of certainty that will is a pure word-morpheme without any vestige of its original modal sense. It is somewhat easier to tell a word-morpheme from a modal verb in oral speech because modal verbs, as a rule, bear a stronger stress.
I. P. Ivanova 2 believes that the obliteration of the modal meanings of shall and will has proceeded at a slow pace because their modal meanings easily go along with the concept of futurity.
§ 265. Some grammarians (among them O. Jespersen 3, G. Curme 4 do not recognize the existence of the pure future in English since, in their opinion shall and will groups are in all cases modal phrases.
The fallacy of these views is proved by the following facts:
1) When the unstressed shall is regularly used for the 1-st person and the unstressed will — for the 2-nd and the 3-rd (in British use), as a rule, no original modal meanings of these verbs can be felt (on the whole).
E. g. I shall be forty next autumn. They will know it in due time. It will take place next month.
Note. We read, however, in Linguistic Change in Present-Day English: "The distinctions formerly made between shall and wilt are being lost, and
f
1 M Mincoff, op. cit, p 177
2 Op. cit , p. 55
3 Философия грамматики, М., 1958, p. 304—306. * Op. cit., p 362.
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will is coming increasingly to be used instead
of shall people increasingly use / would and
we would in contexts where previously should was normal" '.
2) In structures with the enclitic '// no specific modal meanings can be felt. As a language unit it conveyes the sum of its elementary meanings, so it presents an action in the future (future tense) unspecified as to its continuity or entirety (non-continuous or common aspect) or correlation with other situations (non-perfect order).
§ 266. In speech the future non-continuous non-perfect may denote future acts of practically any description — isolated events, continuous actions, habitual, recurrent acts, the nature of the action being specified by the context and the meaning of the verb.
E. g. It will en fail some hard work. (Daily Worker). Sometimes I am afraid I w i I I breakoffa finger as one break a stick of chalk. (Hemingway). / hope you will live forever. (Ib.).
The future non-continuous non-perfect occurs but seldom in narration, in which a chain of events is spoken of, because narration is<seldom referred to the future 2.
Like the past non-continuous non-perfect it is not very well suited to denote permanent actions since it is associated with a certain time sphere (it represents an action which is to take place after the moment of speech). However, its use in the 'generic' or ornnitemporal meaning is not altogether impossible. What will be true for the future is viewed as true in general.
"Young men will b e young men", said the countess. (Jerome).
Cf. Как аукнется, так и откликнется.
Since the future tense denotes an action not yet realized but one that is to take place, that is, an action planned, expected, anticipated, etc., it is natural that the future tense often acquires a modal tinge of supposition 3.
1 Ch. Barber, op. cit, p. 134—135.
2 I. P. Ivanova, op. cit., p. 36.
3 An analogous modal colouring is observed in Russian. See В. В. В и- н о г р а д о в, op. cit., p. 575.
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Hence the not uncommon use of the future non-continuous non-perfect to express supposition with reference to the present.
That w i I I b e your British hospital? (Randall).
The Present Continuous Non-Perfect
§ 267. The basic meaning of the present continuous non-perfect as a language unit, resulting from the synthesis of its elementary grammatical meanings is to denote an action as a concrete process viewed in its progress (the continuous aspect) associated with the present (the present tense) and unspecified as to its correlation with other situations (non-perfect order).
E. g. You ought not to talk that way when lam just s p e a k i n g foi your own good. (Lewis).
§ 268. Since it functions to indicate an action in its development when used in speech it often serves as a sort of background or framework to another action in the present, which is mostly of habitual, recurrent nature 1.
E. g. Whenever she is planning a party she always throws herself into it heart and soul. (Randall).
When employed with such adverbs as always, ever, constantly, continually, perpetually 2, etc. it expresses a continuous uninterrupted action. The lexical meanings of the adverbs neutralize the meaning of the continuous aspect (a concrete process of limited duration), but the latter suggests a greater intensity, contributing to the emotional effect 3.
E. g.x "It looks to me", continued Soames, "as if she were sweeter on him than he is on her. She i s always following him about". (Galsworthy).
The present continuous non-perfect here, obviously, savours of irony blended with disapproval.
The present continuous non-perfect is, as it were "more emotional" than the present non-continuous non-perfect.
1 О
2 A
325.
Есперсен. Философия грамматики. М., 1958, p. И. С м и р н и ц к и и, op cit., p 326.
3 А И. С м и р н и ц к и и, op. cit., р. 326—327; Г. Н. В о р о н-ц о в a, op. cit., p. 191.
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G. Curme 1 says that the continuous aspect "is charged f with feeling".
Hence it is a favourite in lively style.
E. g. How many decorations have you got, Ettore? asked
the vice-consul. He's got everything. He's the boy \ they are г и n n i n g the war for. (Hemingway).
The present continuous non-perfect is sometimes employed to denote an action in the near future. Unlike the present non-continuous non-perfect with a future sense, this is not the continuation of the Old English usage.
I. P. Ivanova 2 thinks that the meaning of futurity in the present continuous non-perfect has developed out of its basic meaning: it denotes a process in its continuity which will be completed in the future. This is likely to lead to the possibility of using the present continuous non-perfect to denote an action in the near future. The usage is quite common
E. g. The doctor is coming soon. (Hemingway). / won't be in. I am dining out. (Maugham).
The present non-continuous non-perfect presents a future act as part of a fixed program, an act whose certainty is secured by certain objective conditions. The present continuous non-perfect often denotes a future act as springing from the will of the person indicated by the subject of the sentence 'd.
Hence the rarity if not the complete impossibility of sentences like The ship is sailing tonight.
Another point of difference between the present non-continuous non-perfect and the present continuous non-perfect used with a future sense is the fact that the present continuous non-perfect may be so used without any accompanying adverbial modifiers of time, which is but seldom observed with the present non-continuous non-perfect.
Cf. We d i n e with the Robinsons on Monday. We a r e dining out.
It is natural that the present continuous non-perfect is employed in reference to the future in adverbial clauses of
1 Op. cit., p. 374.
2 Op. cit., p. 85.
3 I. P. Ivanova, op. cit., p. 86.
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time and condition ', when the action is viewed in its development 2.
It differs from the present non-continuous non-perfect in a similar function (apart from its aspective meaning) in indicating a more immediate future and being sometimes slightly incidental 3.
// you are writing home, give them my love.
It sometimes occurs with verbs which aie but rarely used in the continuous aspect 4 to stress the transitory, temporary nature of the action.
E. g. How are you liking your new lob? (Hornby). Is it tery tough going? he asked sympathetically. Are you hating it? (Randall).
When used with non-terminative verbs the present continuous non-perfect is really synonymous with the present non-continuous non-perfect.
Cf. / live in London.
I am living in London.
The difference lies in the fact that / live merely states an act, while / am living presents it in its progress and sounds more emotional and vivid.
The Past Continuous Non-Perfect
§ 269. As a "language unit this grammeme denotes an action in the past (past tense), viewed in its development (continuous aspect) and unspecified as to its being prior to some situation or not (non-perfect order).
When used in speech the past continuous non-perfect may serve as a framework for another action
E. g. The astounded male discovered that she was h а и -i n g a small rebellion of her own (Lewis).
Like the present continuous non-perfect it may be linked with such adverbs as always, constantly, ever, continually, perpetually, etc., in which case it denotes a continuous action presented with a marked emphatic force.
1 See p. 161.
2 See p. 134.
3 See M. Mincoff, op. cit., p. "See § 221,-
146.
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E.g. He was always finding fault with everybody and they came to hate him very heartily. (Lovel).
It may occur with a relative meaning to denote a future action viewed from the past as in
They tola me the Italians were I e a v i n g the next morning. (Hemingway).
The past continuous non-perfect and the past non-continuous non-perfect of non-terminative verbs are synonymous.
Cf. He I a y on his couch thinking and Hewaslying on his couch thinking, though lay just makes a bare statement of the action, whereas was lying stresses its continuity, which makes it more expressive and picturesque.
This is, naturally, not the case with terminative verbs.
Cf. He died and He was dying (but the operation saved him).
Generally speaking, it might be said that the continuous aspect presenting an action in its development retards the narrative making one linger on descriptive scenes.
E. g. They drove the engine in reverse, then forward.
The wheels only dug in deeper. Then the car was resting on the- differential again, and the wheels spun freely in the holes they had dug. (Hemingway).
M. Mincoff makes an interesting observation that in literary narrative the continuous is sometimes used to give the result or consequence of a set of actions suggestive of a certain stability of mood. Such passages are usually introduced by some such phrases as soon after, next moment, three days later, etc *.
They quarrelled and he broke their engagement but three days later he was having tea with her at Claridge's. (Black).
With verbs not commonly used in the continuous aspect it emphasizes the transient, temporary, limited nature of the act, 2 as in / thought 1 wasbeing unusually considerate. (Wilson).
1 Op. cit., p. 148.
3 "The shift from 'He has been a loyal subject' to 'He was being a loyal subject' shifts the emphasis from an indefinite state of affairs to a definite action." W. Diver, op. cit., p. 158.
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The Future Continuous Non-Perfect
§ 270. If viewed as a language unit, it represents a future action (future tense) viewed in its development (continuous aspect) and not presented as prior to another act or situation (non-perfect order).
E. g. In the afternoon they will be quarrelling in the usual style, no doubt. (Heyer).
When employed with terminative verbs, it expresses a series of repeated acts in the future.
E. g. He'll be т e e t i n g all sorts of undesirable Qgople unless well looked after. (Grey).
When used i-n speech it sometimes differs from the present non-continuous non-perfect and the present continuous non- perfect employed in reference to the future'in presenting an action which will result from the constraint of circumstances irrespective of the speaker's will. The future continuous non- perfect, as it were, brings to the fore the objective nature of the action; in this case the continuous nature of the action may be suppressed. When thus employed it is markedly emphatic. ,
E. g. And now you'll be telling me that I've made a mess of it. I know you'll be wanting waffles. (Wilson).
The usage is so common that I. P. Ivanova ' is even inclined to think that the future continuous non-perfect is gradually developing into what she calls a "pure tense form".
As we do not recognize the existence of pure tense forms (unless they are those of members of tense opposemes such as (I) write—(7) wrote— (I)'II write) we interpret this meaning of the future continuous non-perfect as one of its secondary meanings arising in speech.
The Present Non-Continuous Perfect
§ 271. As a part of the language system it may be said to present an action as associated with the present (present tense) unspecified as to its character (non-continuous aspect) and prior to some situation in the present (perfect order)
1 Op. cit, p. 91.
169
E.g. I h а и е never h a d a baby and I've never even loved anyone. (Hemingway). / am terribly glad f v e met you at last. (Galsworthy).
\ou'v e seen Stella? Of course, three times. (Maugham).
In certain speech surroundings it may be used to express priority to some situation in the present taken in a wider sense, as it were, priority to the present in general 1.
Where you British irritate us is that you have lost the spirit of enquiry. (Galsworthy).
Parliament consolidates what has become public practice. (Galsworthy).
§ 272. When used with terminative verbs denoting an action capable of producing some tangible change in the subject or the object the action is connected with, the present perfect regularly acquires a resultative meaning unless the context shows that the action is presented as a repeated one.
E. g. I think we two have found the higher love.
(Shaw).
Our connection in the hotel has gone west and the
business is finished. (Maugham).
I've lost my nerve. Sid. I shall kill myself. (Ib.). But no resultativity is felt in Г ve often lost my head that way. (Lewis).
If a verb, though terminative, is one which does not denote an action affecting the state of the subject or the object, there is no connotation of resultativity.
It has occurred quite unexpectedly. (Rraddon).
§ 273. When employed with non-terminative verbs (or with verbs of double lexical nature used in their non-terminative capacity) the present non-continuous perfect often denotes an action as preceding the present moment and still going on at this moment. When so used it is often termed 'the inclusive perfect'.
1Л. С. Бархударов, Д. А. Ш т e л и н г, op. cit, p. 176.
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I. P. Ivanova г has produced cogent arguments to the effect that the inclusive sense is not inherent in the present perfect as such, but results from its environment, its being used in a certain context showing that the action still goes on; it is, as it were, one of its meanings.
E.g. I have been here all the time, operating. (Hemingway).
... In recent months there has b e e n in Paris a growing interest in your work. (Cronin).
If there is no adverbial, the inclusive meaning is not felt.
E.g. He ha s I i v e d in London.
It has been a terrible summer. You cannot believe how it h a s b e e n. (Hemingway).