With the presentation of his theoretical model for the semantic analysis of tenses, Hans Reichenbach (1947: 287 – 298) supplied to linguistic research a tool that has since then been made use of in a large number of publications. His model, consisting of the three core elements point of speech (S), point of event (E), and point of reference (R), has been widely accepted to constitute an appropriate theory for the analysis of the English verbal tenses. Nevertheless, since its first publication, several attempts and proposals for modifications on Reichenbach’s model have been presented.
In most of these works, the focus is pointed on research on the past tense. A large number of linguists as well as logicians have proposed modifications concerning different temporal extensions of both reference and event time, interpretations of these two times in terms of definite and indefinite points in time, their relation to each other, and, finally, successive reference points in sentence sequences. Therefore, when Alfred Schopf (1987) presents his proposal, it has a basis of a long tradition of earlier works containing different views and proposing different approaches which can either be followed or rejected.
In this paper, Schopf discusses three aspects of the use of the English past tense and refines Reichenbach’s analysis of this tense. First, Schopf explains the information conveyed by an isolated past tense sentence by interpreting it in terms of a search instruction. Secondly, he contributes to the discussion about the progression of the point of reference in a sequence of sentences. Finally, Schopf presents his proposal for an account of the use of the past tense in substitutionary speech.
The aim of the present paper will be to discuss Schopf’s approaches in comparison to Reichenbach’s model. It will be attempted to demonstrate which elements of Reichenbach’s account have been left unchanged by Schopf and which elements, on the other hand, have been modified by him. Since not all parts of Schopf’s analysis have their origin in Reichenbach’s theory, it will furthermore be discussed in which way he adds modules of other approaches to Reichenbach’s model and also introduces own proposals. Furthermore, each aspect of Schopf’s approach will be discussed for its ability to fulfil the aims Schopf sets in his paper.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The interpretation of an isolated past tense sentence
3. The progression of the reference time in sentence sequences
4. The Past Tense used for the expression of substitutionary speech
5. Conclusion
6. Bibliography
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines Alfred Schopf's linguistic model for analyzing the English past tense, specifically evaluating how his proposals modify or refine Hans Reichenbach's foundational theory. The primary objective is to determine the effectiveness of Schopf's "search instruction" approach, his stance on the progression of reference time in narrative sequences, and his application of temporal parameters to substitutionary speech.
- Analysis of isolated past tense sentences via "search instructions"
- Integration of Vendler’s "event notions" into Reichenbach's tense model
- Evaluation of reference time progression in sentence sequences
- Critique of automatic reference time shifting in narrative modes
- Application of dual deictic fields to substitutionary speech
Excerpt from the Book
2. The interpretation of an isolated past tense sentence
Among the basic decisions to be made for analysing tense, one of the most important is the characterisation of both the event time and reference time in terms of their extension in time and their relation to each other. In Reichenbach’s theory, the reference time is solely regarded as being punctual while the event time can either constitute a point or an interval in time. The distinction between these two possibilities depends on the aspect of the tensed verb to be analysed. For the simple past, Reichenbach assumes a punctual event time (Figure 1) while he suggests that the English language indicates an extended event time by the use of the past progressive (Figure 2).
Although Reichenbach does not explicitly state that the reference time remains punctual for the past progressive, this must be the inevitable conclusion from his discussion since he solely mentions “time extension of the event” (1947: 290) and that “the event covers a certain stretch of time” (Ibid.). However, in Reichenbach’s model, any distinction between a punctual and an extended event time depends not on event notions or any similar linguistic category that would distinguish between different types of verb meaning but on aspect.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces Reichenbach’s classic model of tenses and outlines Schopf’s intention to refine this model by integrating event notions and search instructions.
2. The interpretation of an isolated past tense sentence: This section discusses how Schopf utilizes search instructions and event notions to better categorize the temporal relations within isolated sentences compared to the original Reichenbachian approach.
3. The progression of the reference time in sentence sequences: This chapter analyzes how reference time shifts across sentence sequences in narrative texts, critiquing automatic shifting principles while proposing a more relational focus.
4. The Past Tense used for the expression of substitutionary speech: This chapter examines the temporal complexities of substitutionary speech by applying the concept of overlapping deictic fields to Reichenbach's terminology.
5. Conclusion: This chapter summarizes the findings, acknowledging Schopf’s contributions to temporal modeling while noting the persistent limitations in accounting for non-linguistic contextual factors.
6. Bibliography: This section lists the primary linguistic references and source texts used throughout the study.
Keywords
Past Tense, Reichenbach, Schopf, Search Instruction, Reference Time, Event Time, Event Notions, Substitutionary Speech, Deictic Fields, Narrative Mode, Temporal Anaphora, Linguistic Semantics, Tense Logic, Pragmatics, Verbal Aspect.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The paper evaluates Alfred Schopf's semantic account of the English past tense, specifically analyzing how he modifies Hans Reichenbach's established theoretical model.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The study centers on the interpretation of isolated past tense sentences, the progression of reference time in narrative sequences, and the specific application of temporal parameters to substitutionary speech.
What is the primary goal of the author?
The goal is to determine which elements of Reichenbach's theory Schopf maintained, which he modified, and how his introduction of "event notions" and "search instructions" addresses previous limitations.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The analysis employs a comparative theoretical approach, evaluating formal models of tense against specific sentence examples and critiquing them based on their logical consistency and descriptive power.
What is discussed in the main part of the paper?
The main sections critique the mechanics of "search instructions," the shifting of reference times in discourse, and the formalization of deictic fields in substitutionary speech.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include past tense, reference time, event notions, search instruction, substitutionary speech, and deictic fields.
How does Schopf explain the interpretation of an isolated past tense sentence?
Schopf suggests that interpreting these sentences follows a "search instruction," where the listener must look for a specific time in the past based on the verb's event notion.
Why does Schopf reject some of Barbara Partee's principles regarding sentence sequences?
Schopf criticizes Partee’s principles for generating redundant reference times, arguing that his own model provides a more efficient analysis by focusing on relations between neighboring events.
What is the "interference of two deictic fields" in substitutionary speech?
It refers to the overlap between the deictic center of the narrator and the narrated character, which Schopf models by embedding secondary temporal parameters into the primary field.
- Quote paper
- Michael Treichler (Author), 2004, Alfred Schopf's account of the past tense on the basis of Reichenbach's theory, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/24772
