JacetKansaiJ. 12 (2010), 32‑43. c Kansai Chapter, JACETISSN 1880‑2281 Printed in JapanFrom

narrowed2010

current relevance towards extended current relevance1
Fu Jian Liang
Graduate School, Kwansei Gakuin University

The purpose of thispaper is to verify how

current relevance of the English present perfect isinterpreted extendedly through specific example

sentences with the deceased individuals as theirsubjects. These

examplessuggest that the extended

current relevance can be (a) the present

relevance from any participant involved in the event in question, (b) situationalcurrent relevance,(c) resultative current relevance, (d) indirect resultative current relevance, (e) context current
relevance or (f) writer's current relevance. These readings of current relevance contribute to the
explanation why

Chomsky's

Einstein is not alive. This
perfect is moving

Key Words:

example"Einstein has visited Princeton." can be grammaticaldevelopment

even ifis also considered an important indicator that the present

towards the past‑oriented semantics from a grammaticalization perspective.

the present perfect,narrowed current relevance, extended current relevance,
grammaticalization,past‑oriented
semantics

1. INTRODUCTION
The present perfect, defined as "a compound(Huddleston

tense expressing two

temporalrelations"

et al.,2002, p. 140), is one of the most complicated issues regarding tense and aspect inpresent‑day English. Most

linguists agree that the present perfect is generally used to report a"past event with current relevance" (see, for example, Leech, 1994; Quirk et al.,1985). However,linguists differ with one another regarding the definition of "current relevance." Some
present perfect as characterized by narrowedby extended current relevance. What

see thecurrent relevance, while others see it as characterized

follows will attempt to clarifythe differences between

the twoviewpoints and will attempt to demonstrate that these different views reflectchanges in the ways inwhich

the present perfect has been used over time.
The present perfect differs fromrelevance to the present moment

the preterite in regard to current relevance, an inevitableof utterance, whichis frequently described as the fundamental

1 This paper is a revised version of the oral presentation given at JACET

Kansai Chapter 2009 Spring Conference

on June 27th, 2009. I am grateful to anonymous
reviewers for their valuable advice. My
Bob Pederson and Janis Pederson for their kind editorialhelp.
32

special thanks go toFromdifference in semantics
demonstrated
whereasnarrowedcurrent relevance towards extended current relevance

betweenby examples

the twoverb forms. Suchmeaning(1) and (2), with sentence (1) implying

sentence (2) implies that the sisteris now

difference can be easily
that the sister is stillalive

dead.

(Leech,His sisterhas been an invalid all her life(i.e.'She is stillalive.')
His sisterwas an invalid allher life(i.e.'She is now

Similarly, Chomsky
presupposes(1971,

p. 212)

1994, p.40)(ibid.)

dead.').

offers example(3). Accordingthat Einstein has not died. In other words, (3) is grammaticalto Chomsky,

only when(3)

Einstein is still

alive. In this research, such

strict and intentionally narrowed

interpretation regarding

relevance is called "narrowed

current relevance." Thecurrent relevance is a symbol ofnarrowed

the present perfect at the stage where "present" is overwhelmingly

Einsteina semantic focus.

(Chomsky, 1971, p. 212)

has visited Princeton.

Narrowedcurrent relevance was accepted universally for many

years. However,a numberlinguists have argued that the use of the present perfect has evolved over time, andcurrent relevance view no longer reflectsthe ways
Inoue

in whichthe narrowed(3) can possibly be grammaticalthat it is uttered in the following discourse contexts (4), (5) and (6).2Inoueis the repeatability of a situation that makes
Princeton University's memorable

argues that it

the usage of the present perfect possible. In(4),occasions are repeatable; in (5),the Nobel Prize winners' visitto

Princeton is also repeatable; and in (6), Jewish
repeatable. Thereofthe present perfect is actually used.

(1979) refutes that even if Einstein is not alive, example

providedcurrent

is no doubt that example

scholars' coming

to the United(3) can be fully grammatical

States is also

in someappropriate

contexts and it is supposed that there are more possibilitiesin addition to (4),(5), and (6) that make(3) grammatically correct.

(Inoue, 1979, p.574)(4) Talking

about PrincetonUniversityhaving memorable occasions.

(5) Talking

about the Nobel Prize winners visitingPrinceton.

(ibid.)(6) Talking

about Jewish scholarscoming to the United States.

(ibid.)

Extendedinterpretation of current relevance in (4), (5), and (6) in Inoue (1979) and othersimilar literaturemarks an important turning point in interpreting the meaning
motivating the developmentof current relevance,of the present perfect into a past‑oriented verb form by reanalysis.In

this paper the developing process from narrowed

current relevance to extended current relevance2 Inoue's claim is acceptable except for her conclusion of repeatabilitywhich I do not think is the element thattriggers the acceptance of the example.
33

Fu Jian Liang

will bediscreetly examined

perspectives. Inoue's"extended

from

which

Elsnessof the English
focusedthat the development(1997), Bybee

roughlyof the English

et al. (1994)

the 14th century

differentiation frompresent

referstime,

present‑day

English

focus

The

focus

of

to "present

EnglishPP

in semantics;

the<last stage,

past"

to

the secondby "present

stage,< past," without

the 18th centuryasuggested

semantically.

to be moving

frompresent‑oriented

to the

stage

that

HistoricallytheDuringthis stage,as changes

changesstage three (present >for instance, in its co‑occurrence

with

have

from

been

carefully

types of interpretation of current relevancethat havebeen

current

relevance,

relevance

and

and

backgroundalive at the present, thenat the present. Such

Macaulaysemantic

extendedcurrent

OFwiththe preterite. The

mentioned

is toadverbials

beso far in thiscarriedout

CURRENTRELEVANCE
mentionedin Section

1 canbe consideredat the third stage. It is first of all related to the subjects

to the physicallynarrowed(7), in Jespersen's
died, and 1881,

visible results or visible consequentcurrent

when

relevance

opinion,

with

PP.

interpretation of current relevancefeatures of the PP

In example

a deepof the English

INTERPRETATION
narrowed

observedin the superficial structure of itscombination
towards

3. TEMPORAL

when

semantically;

amendment

the first stage is featured

movement

to this diachronicof the mainin Oldstage four (present < past), as shown,definite past4.

on twoexamples.

past"

seems

characteristics

The

Englishthe PP(on either thethis research, it isin a four‑step

equaling

refers to "presentof different temporalreference

be included

our proposal,

>

such

narrowedcanthe preterite; the third stage, lasting fromdifferent perspectives,

researchPP

on thelies on present, past, present and past in the order of these four stages respectively.

present‑day

adverbials

1859,

by an argument

semantic

and other literature. In

is approaching,past) to past‑oriented

eventsor the past. The

to the early 18th century, is characterizedstrict semanticone

present perfect can be characterizedon the present> past,"3 approximately

fromsemantic(temporal)

PERSPECTIVE

is semantically"present

paper,

semanticor the past) varies at different stages of the present perfect evolution. In

advocatedbyandcurrent relevance" in this research.

Grammaticalization

present(grammaticalization)

relatively loose interpretation of current relevance will be referred to as

2. GRAMMATICALIZATION

issue

diachroniccanbe easily observed

the quotation"must

Carlyle died" (Jespersen,

have
1931,

been

states of

who

are

certainin the following
writtenbetweenpp. 66‑67).

3 "Present>past" shows that the semantic weight on "present" overrides "past," while "present<past" shows thatthe semantic weight on "past" overpasses "present."
4 Refer to Fu (2009) for details regarding the so‑called unusual co‑occurrence examples of the present perfectwith adverbials of definitepast especially in British spoken English. In Fu (2009) these unusual examples areholisticallyanalyzed from the following perspectives: grammaticalization perspective, extended current
relevance, cross‑linguisticperspective, pragmatic perspective, morphological perspective and temporal contrast.
34

From

(7) Macaulay

narrowedcurrent relevance towards extended current relevance

did not impress the very soul of English feelingas Mr. Carlyle,for example, hasdone. (Jespersen,

In example

1931, pp. 66‑67)(8), Pickbournclaims that "wemaysay" [(8a)]; "but we cannot say" [(8b)] because"[w]e suppose Cicero, as it were, stillexisting,and speaking to us in his orations; but as the poems
are lost,we cannot mention them in the same manner"(Pickbourn, 1789, pp. 33‑34). To Pickbourn,the present existence of at least a relevant participant in the event in question seems

to be anecessary condition in deciding whether to adopt the PP or not.

a. Cicerohas writtenorations.
(Pickbourn, 1789, pp. 33‑34)

b. *Cicero has writtenpoems.

Michaelis (1994) states that (9a) implies Neil Young(9b) implies that Neil Young
exampleis stillengaged

in musical activity while

is no longer a singer or a musician. Michaelis' interpretationis anotherof narrowed current relevance, even referring to the present existence of the objects in a PP

clause.5

a. I'vebeen to a Neil Young concert.
(Michaelis, 1994)

b. Iwent to a Neil Young concert.

In order to verify whether
in Jespersen (1931), Pickbournthe above mentioned

narrowed interpretationof current relevance(1789), and Michaelis (1994) is true and why

it is (or is not) true,

there is an urgent need to reconsider the definition of current relevance.
Current relevance has beenfrequently usedcanonical PP, especially distinguishing its meaning

as a keyfromin analyzing

the meaningof thethe preterite at stage three wheretheEnglish PP is characterized by "present > past." The semantic focus on the present at this stage isthoroughly in agreementwith the sense of current relevance. However,ironically no linguists haveever been successful in giving a satisfactory definition of current relevance taking its syntactic
meaningand pragmatic meaning

into consideration. This is due to a special bilateralquality: the PP

only syntactically guarantees that the reported situation in the past bears current relevance while a
specific interpretation ofcurrent relevance in a PP

clause is totally subject to its context

pragmatically.
Someexperimental research has been

done

on the definition of current relevance. One

important study of recent date is Declerck (2006) who

created a "present time‑sphere" including

pre‑present and post‑present. In Fig 1, the present time‑sphere is centered by to,

The viewpoint is certainlycriticizedby manynative speakers as pointed out by Kashino (1999, p. 50) withmore details.
35

Fu JianLiang"[t]he temporal zero‑point is the time from which
tense ultimately take their startingpoint. It

all the temporal relations expressed by ais usually speech time," (Declerck, 2006, p. 97)

with pre‑present preceding to and post‑present succeeding to on the time axis. A situation reportedwith current relevance is thus located within the present time‑sphere as illustratedin Fig 1.

PAST

PRE‑PRESENTtoPOST‑PRESESTPRESENT

present time‑sphere

past time‑sphereFig 1 Linguistic conceptualization of the time line in English(Declerck,As

an attempt

at a visual representationan original contribution
obviousinterval between

encodedin a PPout by Wadaof current relevance,

to analysis of the PP. However,past time‑sphereclause must

(2009)

2006, p. 149)

and

2006,

it is very difficult to imagine

present time‑sphere.

be in the past, i.e. be locatedin the following

Fig 1 (Declerck,

Situationallyp. 149)that there is an

speaking,

in the past time‑sphere.

is

This

what

is

is pointed

examples.

(10) a. I have visited Singapore once before. That was a long time ago.
(Wada,

b. The phone rang a minute ago.

Wada

2009, p. 269)

says:
"What

seems

problematic is that in case of an indefinite reading such as the experiential

perfect in [(10a)], the situation time not only seems disconnected from to,but also is situatedfarther in the past than the situation time of the past tense in [(10b)]." (Wada,
Anotherreliable study on current relevance can be Palmer

relevance suggests that "in some
something(1974) who

2009, p. 270)

defines that current

way or other (not necessarily in itsresults)the action is relevant toobservable at the present" (Palmer, 1974, p. 50). In

Palmer's statement, the phrase "notnecessary in its results" is very inspiring, yet no further information is supplied. The
far can be called a perfect syntactic current relevance interpretation.Palmer
syntactic field to provide an ambiguous

definition so

continues beyond

additional explanation of "nil results." Thetheso‑called nil

results are illustratedby the following (11a) and (lib), which ought to be analyzed at the pragmaticlevel. Unfortunately, Palmer does not makepragmatic

(11)

a.

a clear‑cut line between

current relevance.

I've hit it twice, but it'sstanding

up.

36

syntactic current relevance andFromnarrowedcurrent relevance towards extended current relevanceb. I've written, but they haven't replied.

Syntactic

current relevanceto the present. The

semantic(Palmer, 1974, p. 50)

refers to the confirmation

scope

figures. In Fig 2, current relevancethat current relevanceis guaranteed

point

B2

to anothertemporal(final point

speaking,

there is no

more

temporalillustration of the traditional continuativeoncoversof an event)the aspectualis somewhat

relatedcan be illustrated in the following

to be valid froman event)

informationthat the past event

temporalpoint B1 (initial point ofon the timequality between

B1axis. Syntactically
and

B2.

Fig

2 is aperfect, a resultant state of the situation up to thepreset, or habit up to the present.

B

1

B2=NOWT

Semantic Scope of Current Relevanceof theContinuativePerfect

In Fig 3, current relevance covers a different temporal distance fromscope takes up a coverage from B2 to NOW,
betweenB2 and NOW

Fig 2. The

semantic

B1 being cognitively neglected. The aspectual details

are not provided syntactically.Fig 3 is a temporal demonstration of what has

been called resultative perfect, experiential perfect, existential perfect or indefinite past. The
distinction can be madeaccording to the temporal distance between

B2 and NOW.

When

B2 is

relatively close to Now,

the perfect illustratedmight be resultative.On

the other hand, whenB2 istemporally far from Now

the perfect present might be experiential or existentialperfect use. In

present‑day English most verbs do not distinguish these two perfects by themselves, except for theverbs of "be" and "go." According to Comrie,a useful illustrativeexample
Bill has been to America

in English is the distinctionbetween

and Bill has gone

be and go in sentences liketo America, since English here makes

an overt

distinction between the experiential perfect and the perfect of result.(1976, pp.58‑59)

Such distinctionsin other languages such as Chinese and Japanese are always overt, since inChinese there is an experientialperfect particleof "gwo" and in Japanese there is also anexperientialperfectparticleof "shitakoto ga am"

NOW(B 1) B2
T

Semantic Scope of Current Relevance of The Non‑continuative Perfect37

Fu Jian Liang

Syntactic current relevance can be easily demonstrated by the above Fig 2 and Fig 3; however, thepragmatic current relevance seems
extended

to be more

complicatedand diversified thus requiring aninterpretationof current relevance in Section 4.

4. EXTENDED

CURRENTRELEVANCE

Diachronically speaking, present‑day English is obviously on its way towards the fourth stage
from the third stage. In other words, the present perfect is undergoinga semantic shift fromapresent‑oriented sense to a past‑oriented sense6. Under such circumstances, this paper aims to carryout a holisticresearch on the extended interpretationof current relevance in the PP, especially those
PP clauses in written English

with deceased

individuals as their syntactic subjects7. In

thisresearch itis defended that the extended current relevance reading can be obtained from(a) the present relevance from any participantinvolved in the event in question;(b) situationalcurrent relevance;(c) resultativecurrent relevance;(d) indirect resultativecurrent relevance;(e) contextual current relevance;(f) writer'scurrent relevance.

4.1 Current

Relevance

from

Any Participant in the Event

Except for subject's current relevance which

has already been

discussed in the previous

sections, other current relevance brought about by any participant in the event under discussion canalso be possible, such as an object's relevance. Although
exampleShakespeare

was

not alive (in 1999),(12) is completely acceptable because "most of the best plays we know," the object in thesituation of <Shakespeare

write most of the best plays we know>,

best plays" written by Shakespeare

is a present topic. "Mostof theare stillavailable for us to touch, to read and to discuss. The

object in the event in question is also possible to create current relevance, thus justifying the use of
the PP in example(12) Shakespeare

In example(12).

(Kashino,

has written most of the best plays we know.

(13), Nancy

Polette wrote

Literature Activities to Excite YoungMinds

the book

1999, p. 167)

entitled Gifted Books, Giftedin 2000 when

Readers:

Albert Einstein was not alive. Current

relevance of Albert Einstein's writing cannot be read from the subject of the PP clause. Current
Difference between the present perfect in American

English and in British English is not developed in thispaper.

For references and discussion, see Quirk et al.(1985), Swan
(2006).
Albert Einstein was born on March

14th, 1879

in Ulm,(2005), Biber et al.(1999) and Carter & McCarthy

Germany,

and died on April 18th, 1955

Hospital (Ze'ev Rosenkranz, The Einstein Scrapbook, 2002, pp. 2‑5). It

in Princeton

is confirmed that allthe PP clauses inthis paper with Albert Einstein as their syntactic subject are allfrom books published later than 1955.

Fromnarrowedcurrent relevance towards extended current relevance

relevance of Einstein's writing in the past is instead triggered by the object, another participant in
the event of writing. What
entitled The

World

Einstein wrote as shownin (13) can stillbe read in his bookas I See it and was published in 1935

(translated by Alan

which wasHarris). Current

relevance can thus be read easily through the object (another participatorexcept for the subject) of
the event in question.

Oneof the world's great thinkers, Albert Einstein, has written, "Thefairest thing wecanexperience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental

emotion which stands at the cradle of trueart

and true science. He

can no longer wonder,

amazement

who

knows

it not, who

can nolonger feelis as good as dead ‑ a snuffed out candle."(NancyPolette,Gifted Books, Gifted Readers: Literature Activitiesto Excite Young Minds,
2000, p. 2)

The object's current relevance can also be found in example(14) where the writers pay close

attention to the present value or influence of Einstein saying that "you cannot solve a problem at thesamelevel of abstractionat which itwas created." This proverb‑like saying can stillbe effective andtrue at the momentof writing.With this in the authors' minds, even though Einstein was not alive,

his famous saying remains valid stillgiving people someinspiration.

To createnew images, organizationsmust see themselves in a largercontext― they must firstconsider,and then act upon, questionsof purpose and "calling."As Albert Einstein has said,"you cannot solve a problem at the same levelof abstraction
at which itwas created."(Diana Kaplin Whitney, Amanda

Trosten‑Bloom, The Power of AppreciativeInquiry,
2003, pp. 181‑182)

4.2 Situational Current

Relevance

Situational current relevance refers to the current relevance that can be proved by the physicalcontinuation of an event or a stateup to the present moment
example(15a) the house's state of being "empty"

to the present momentin the real world in which

we live.In

began at the time of "ages ago" and continues upof utterance.The present momentof being physically empty is powerful andconvincing proof of current relevance. (15b) is slightly different from (15a) as far as the situation
type is concerned, <be empty
was a boy>

for ages> in (15a) being a state and <sing in this choir ever since hein (15b) being a habitual state.In example(15b) current relevance is provedby an

indisputable present truth that Mr. Terry is stillin this choir.

(15) a. That house has been empty for ages.
b. Mr. Terry has sung in thischoir ever sincehe was a boy.

39

(Quirket al.,1985, p. 192)

Fu Jian Liang

Such

examples are usually so‑called continuative perfect clauses in which current relevancecan be supported by a situationalor physical proof suggesting that the situation (usually a state or ahabitual state) is stillgoing on at the moment
the case in example(16) whereof speaking or writing in the real world. Suchis alsothe present truth that Einstein is dead is sufficient support for

current relevance.

As for thiswriting Albert Einsteinhas been dead for forty‑fiveyears,but in his absence heseems more presentthan ever. (Linda

4.3 Resultative Current
In both examples
physically. Example

Relevanceof (17) and(18) the direct results of the situations canbe observed(17) causes us to imagine a bleeding finger at the present moment;(18) possibly shows us the broken window
resultative is "by far the most common(Leech, 2004, p. 40). This
some

Anderson, Creative writing,2006, p. 549)

directly at the moment

sense" among

exampleof speaking or writing.8 The

four principal meaningsof the present perfect

direct result use of the present perfect has been discussed so muchlinguists simply assert that resultativecurrent relevance is the core meaning

thatof the PP insteadof current relevance.

(17) I've

cut my finger.(It'sstillbleeding.)(18) He's

broken the window.

Example(Palmer,

1974, p. 52)(ibid.)(It hasn't been mended.)(19), despite its subject, i.e.Albert Einstein who

is not alive any longer at the timeof writing in 2002, adopts the syntactic form of the PP due to an observable present result.This
present state is a result of the event <Albert Einstein becomea myth, a symbol, a paradigm

ofscientific revolutions

In these pages, the reader is given a view, admittedly limited, of one of the most

universal

symbolsof the twentieth century, one of the greatest intellectsof all ages. Albert Einstein has

becomea myth, a symbol, a paradigm

Einstein which

are stored at The Hebrew

reveal that there is muchthe personal papers of

University's Jewish National &University librarythat is hidden behind the myth.
(Ze'ev

4.4 Indirectof scientificrevolution. But

Rosenkranz,

The

Einstein Scrapbook,2002,

p. xiii)

ResultativeCurrent RelevanceIn Leech (1994),the PP clause (20) implies a conventionalresultthat"the taxi is now here,"
8 These interpretations are only typical examples, and there are someexamples (19) and (20).
40other possible interpretations regarding

From

which

ought

where

anothernarrowed

to be regarded

current relevance towards extended current relevanceas onlypresent consequence

one of the possibilities. This

the context. Indirect resultative is moreandpresent

consequence

same
and

automatic

can be true of examples(23) expresses

slog in the garden>.

concretely

(22)

2006,

(21) and(23), where

p. 302).

than Declerck's
In othersituation <the(21) shows

possible result of the multi‑phasedThis

indirect resultative current relevancein (11) where

the conventional

it isa resultative state of a series of events in

exemplified

the result of a two‑phased

onedefinition of "not anwords,

in example

taxi arrive and(22)leave>. The

typical result that "I'msituation <1 havealso works

clean."

a bath, but after thatwell withresults are excluded

thePalmer's

intentionally

by

"nil
the

contexts.

(20) Thetaxi has arrived (i.e.'The taxi is now(21) I've

had / taken a bath (Tin now(22) Yes,

it has arrived and left,I'm afraid.

(23) I

suggests

another

result" in the sentences
relevant

which

result" (Declerck,

expresses

by example

that the taxi is not here is also possible. In this research,called indirect resultative current relevance

immediate

can be proved(Leech,here').

1994, p. 39)(ibid.)

clean').

(Elsness, 1997, p. 68)(ibid.)

have had a bath, but after that slog in the garden I need another one.

4.5 Contextual
In example

Current

Relevance(24) written in 1991 with the late Albert Einstein as its subject, current relevanceof the PP clause "But Albert Einstein has been deified by the scientificcommunityand society atlarge" can be easily read from the context. The context of "the enormity of Einstein's intellect"is akey to current relevance, where the powerful present influence of Einstein's intellectis stillbeing
studied and discussed.9 Context

is another way

of providing an extended interpretation of current

relevance.

HOW

CAN

one grasp the enormity of Einstein's
intellect?
All great scientists
seem remote,extra human even. But Albert Einsteinhas been deifiedby the scientificcommunity and society
at large.In the guise of a superbrain,a mind that commanded

the most complex and abstract

aspects of physical science, he is portrayed as with out [sic] equal amongscientists.

(1991, BNC)

4.6 Writer's

Current

Relevance

Writer's current relevance deals with an important fact that the presenter of a situation plays a
key role in connecting a past event with the present moment

perceptively, overriding whatisphysically true in the real world.

9 In example (24) current relevance can also be obtained from the semantic subject of the event "deifying" as "thescientificcommunityand society at large" bears strong present influence.
41

Fu Jian Liang

The

writer‑biased extended

current relevance can be illustratedby example

debating point on the temporal adverbial "modern

times." "Modern

times" in example(25) with a(25) acts likea triggerthat both Einstein's lifetime and the time of writing this sentence are ambiguously
in "modern

times." This vague definition tacticallysupplies us with current relevance of Einstein

describing how(25) For

included

his work

was affected by the philosophy of David Humeand Ernest Mach.

example, the most distinguished physicist of modern times, Albert Einstein, has describedhow

his work was affected by the philosophy of David Hume(John

Cunningham

Wood,

and Ernest Mach.

J. A. Schumpeter

II, 1991, p. 189)

5. SUMMARY
The

present‑oriented meaningof the PP is characterized by strictinterpretation of current

relevance exemplified by Jespersen (1931), Leech (1994), and Pickbourn (1789) at Stage Three of
the PPevolution. Present‑day English is undergoing

sense towards a past‑oriented sense. The
others, accompanying

a semantic switch fromshift is marked

by somea present‑oriented

criticisms by Inoue (1969) andan extended interpretationof current relevance. The problems

Section 1 can be solved by extended current relevance law, an amendment
interpretation of current relevance. The

evolution fromcurrent relevancea grammaticalization

comes

into use withnarrowed

mentionedinof traditionallynarrowed

current relevance to extended

backgroundthat English

PPisdeveloping from Stage Three to Stage Four in the evolution model.
Theextendedinterpretation of current relevance illustratedin previous parts can easily

explain those examples

that cannot be dealt with by narrowed

current relevance of the PP is more

relatively loosely employedcurrent relevance, indicating thatthan before. In many

Section 4, the extended current relevance simply plays a role of backgroundcases in

for a reported situation

with a gradual outstanding of the preteritesemantically.

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Pagliuca, W.

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Carter, R., &McCarthy,M.

Cambridge:

Cambridge

University Press.

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guide.

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Cambridge

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narrowed

Cambridge

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Declerck, R. (2006) The grammar
Moutoncurrent relevanceof the English tense system: A comprehensive

analysis. Berlin:de Gruyter.

Elsness, J. (1997) The perfect and the preterite in contemporaryand earlier English. MoutondeGruyter.
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The

Cambridge

grammarof the English language.

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University Press.

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The Bulletin of the English Society,Osaka

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