As Martin Haase points out, the term ‘tense’ in any given language can hardly be isolated. In a broader context, it usually consists of an interwoven system, the so-called Tense-Aspect-Modality (TAM). English and Romanian are no exception. Haase states that “it is far from simple to attribute TAM-categories clearly to either tense, aspect or mood, since most categories contain a temporal as well as an aspectual or modal meaning.” (Haase, 1994:135).
In order not to go beyond the intended scope of this analysis, I will thus straightforwardly compare English and Romanian past tenses, thereby avoiding a detailed discussion on the inner TAM workings of each language, as this could easily fill entire books on its own. Nonetheless, when absolutely necessary, I will include mood and aspect since both of them cannot be entirely ignored in an analysis about time-related utterances.
My main concern, however, is to illustrate the general differences of the tense systems rather than to consider all the exceptions that follow in their wake. Thus, before explaining the construction of the main past tenses, I will provide a short overview and definition of the terms tense, aspect and mood in the English and Romanian language.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. General overview
2.1 Modality/Mood
2.2 Tense
2.3 Aspect
3. Comparison of tenses
3.1 Simple present/Present
3.1.1 Formation
3.1.2 Use
3.1.2.1 Similarities
3.1.2.2 Differences
3.1.3 Summary
3.2 Present perfect/Perfectul compus
3.2.1 Formation
3.2.2 Use
3.2.2.1 Similarities
3.2.2.2 Differences
3.2.3 Summary
3.3 Simple past/Perfectul simplu & Imperfectul
3.3.1 Formation
3.3.2 Use
3.3.3 Summary
3.4 Pluperfect/Mai mult ca perfect
3.4.1 Formation
3.4.2 Use
3.4.3 Summary
4. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
The primary objective of this work is to provide a contrastive linguistic analysis of the past tense systems in English and Romanian, focusing on how different verb forms convey temporal, aspectual, and modal meanings. The paper seeks to illustrate the general structural differences between the two languages while addressing how speakers utilize these tense systems in diverse contexts.
- Contrastive analysis of English and Romanian TAM (Tense-Aspect-Modality) systems.
- Morphological and functional comparison of past tense forms.
- Examination of the interplay between tense, aspect, and mood.
- Analysis of literary versus colloquial usage of tense forms.
- Application of theoretical tense models to practical language examples.
Excerpt from the Book
3.3.2 Use
As their names suggest, both preterite tenses are characterized by their perfective and imperfective aspects. In this respect, Romanian behaves like all other Romance languages, as well as its neighbouring Balkan languages. (Haase, 1994:138). The imperfect therefore usually signals habitualness or a repetitive state in the past. English, on the other hand, constructs with a past progressive, or with a lexical expression like ‘used to’ to indicate the aspect inherent in the Romanian imperfect:
(16) Pe vremuri vorbeam mult la telefon.
once speak.Imp.1Sg. much on telephone
,In the old days, I used to speak a lot on the phone.’
(Gönczöl-Davies, 2007:25)
(17) Ana stătea ore în şir pe malul mării:
Ana spend.Imp.3Sg. long hours Acc.Mark. seashore
privea pescăruşii.
look.Imp.3Sg. seagull.+Def.Pl.M. ,Ana was spending hours on the beach: she was watching the seagulls.’
(Cojocaru, 2003: 136)
It also expresses a past durative action. Again, English has to explicitly mark the progressive aspect of this:
(18) În timpul iernii trecute, eu citeam romanele
during winter last, I read.Imp.1.Sg. novel+Def.Pl.
lui Sadoveanu.
Gen.Mark. Sadoveanu.
‘During last winter, I was reading Sadoveanu’s novels.
(Daniliuc, 2000:154)
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the scope of the study regarding the Tense-Aspect-Modality (TAM) system and establishes the methodological focus on comparing English and Romanian past tenses.
2. General overview: Provides a linguistic profile of English and Romanian, detailing their origins, morphological characteristics, and general tense-mood systems.
3. Comparison of tenses: Investigates the specific formations and usages of four main tense categories in both languages, including present, present perfect, simple past, and pluperfect.
4. Conclusion: Summarizes the findings, noting the Romanian tendency toward analytical constructions and the role of style and habitual usage in modern tense selection.
Keywords
Contrastive analysis, Tense, Aspect, Modality, Romanian, English, Morphology, Verb system, Perfectul compus, Imperfectul, Perfectul simplu, Linguistics, TAM, Preterite, Language comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this analysis?
The paper provides a contrastive linguistic analysis of the past tense systems in English and Romanian, examining how these languages encode time, aspect, and mood.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The study covers the morphological construction of verbs, the functional use of past tenses, and the interplay between grammar, aspect, and regional language variations.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to identify general differences between the two language systems while avoiding exhaustive detail on all inner TAM workings, focusing on practical usage patterns.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author employs a contrastive linguistic approach, using theoretical models from researchers like Declerck and Haase to categorize and compare English and Romanian verb forms.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body focuses on the formation and use of the Simple Present, Present Perfect, Simple Past, and Pluperfect, supported by specific examples and textual evidence.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Tense, Aspect, Modality, Contrastive analysis, Morphology, and specific Romanian terminology like Perfectul compus and Imperfectul.
How does the Romanian system differ from English regarding aspect?
Unlike English, which uses the -ing suffix for progressive aspect, Romanian does not have an independent grammatical feature for it; instead, the imperfect past tense is used to convey progressive aspect.
What is the role of the 'perfectul compus' in modern Romanian?
It is the most prominent past tense in everyday Romanian, serving as a functional equivalent to both the English present perfect and the simple past.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Hannes Krehan (Autor:in), 2012, The Past Tense System in English and Romanian, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/293475
