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that's the news for tonight

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WBYeats
 
Reply Mon 3 Jun, 2013 06:39 pm
I heard some news reporter on TV saying 'that's the news for tonight' at the end of the programme, but at the time of speaking this, shouldn't ''s' be WAS?
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Type: Discussion • Score: 4 • Views: 1,268 • Replies: 23
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JTT
 
  1  
Reply Mon 3 Jun, 2013 08:41 pm
@WBYeats,
Quote:
I heard some news reporter on TV saying 'that's the news for tonight' at the end of the programme, but at the time of speaking this, shouldn't ''s' be WAS?



A lot of news is old, finished stuff. To make it seem more important news media often speak about it in the present.
oristarA
 
  1  
Reply Mon 3 Jun, 2013 09:46 pm
@JTT,
JTT wrote:

Quote:
I heard some news reporter on TV saying 'that's the news for tonight' at the end of the programme, but at the time of speaking this, shouldn't ''s' be WAS?



A lot of news is old, finished stuff. To make it seem more important news media often speak about it in the present.


So it is a fib?
JTT
 
  1  
Reply Mon 3 Jun, 2013 09:52 pm
@oristarA,
Quote:
So it is a fib?


You could/might say that, Ori.

But it pales into insignificance compared to their usual lies.
WBYeats
 
  1  
Reply Tue 4 Jun, 2013 05:25 am
@JTT,
So it's also common in the US?
JTT
 
  0  
Reply Tue 4 Jun, 2013 07:28 pm
@WBYeats,
Quote:
So it's also common in the US?


The lies or the present simple used for the news(qm) US media is chock full of lies.
WBYeats
 
  1  
Reply Wed 5 Jun, 2013 01:39 am
@JTT,
JTT, what's qm?
JTT
 
  1  
Reply Wed 5 Jun, 2013 09:30 am
@WBYeats,
Quote:
JTT, what's qm?


'question mark'. Sometimes, I think I hit the wrong combo of keys, my keyboard goes all foreign on me producing odd symbols where the normal ones should be.
contrex
 
  1  
Reply Wed 5 Jun, 2013 11:09 am
@WBYeats,
WBYeats wrote:

I heard some news reporter on TV saying 'that's the news for tonight' at the end of the programme, but at the time of speaking this, shouldn't ''s' be WAS?


It may seem that way. Perhaps it is best to say the situation is not as simple as you have been taught so far.

We can signify that something is concluded by saying 'that is' [whatever]. The choice of food is: Sausages; ham; cheese; eggs. That's it. Tomorrow it will be sunny with scattered showers in the Manchester region. That's the weather forecast. It came off in my hand, honest. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
InfraBlue
 
  1  
Reply Wed 5 Jun, 2013 11:43 am
@WBYeats,
When speaking, it's easier to say "that's" than to say "that was," although the latter is what is meant to be said.
WBYeats
 
  1  
Reply Wed 5 Jun, 2013 05:53 pm
@InfraBlue,
Oh Oh Oh....

Thank you~ Maybe that's why some US programmes say THAT'S when, I think, the past tense is required!
0 Replies
 
JTT
 
  0  
Reply Wed 5 Jun, 2013 08:12 pm
@contrex,
Quote:
We can signify that something is concluded by saying 'that is' [whatever].

1.The choice of food is: Sausages; ham; cheese; eggs. That's it.

2. Tomorrow it will be sunny with scattered showers in the Manchester region.
That's the weather forecast.

3. It came off in my hand, honest. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.


1 & 3 aren't examples of concluded actions, C. In 1. the choice of food is and it's ongoing for as long as the choice lasts.

In 3, the person's story doesn't end. It too, reflects an ongoing truth.

For 2, news media uses the present tense to engender a feeling that this is current stuff, this is hot, the news is important.

Quote:
240 Headlines

...

d In headlines, simple tenses are often used instead of progressive or perfect forms. The simple present is used for both present and past events.

Practical English Usage - 3rd edition: Michael Swan pg 211


This use of the present simple also occurs in sporting events,

Here comes the pitch, he swings and misses.

and in the conversational historic present

So he skis down the double black diamond slope like he is a seasoned pro. He doesn't fall once.


oristarA
 
  1  
Reply Wed 5 Jun, 2013 09:42 pm
@JTT,
JTT wrote:

Quote:
JTT, what's qm?


'question mark'. Sometimes, I think I hit the wrong combo of keys, my keyboard goes all foreign on me producing odd symbols where the normal ones should be.


I guessed qm was referring to quality management at the first sight. Wink
It might be the result that you've mistakenly changed to the wrong soft keyboard model.
JTT
 
  1  
Reply Wed 5 Jun, 2013 11:08 pm
@oristarA,
Quote:
It might be the result that you've mistakenly changed to the wrong soft keyboard model.


Nope, Ori, it occurs when I mistakenly hit the wrong keys. It's fixed by a RESTART or a full shutdown.
0 Replies
 
contrex
 
  1  
Reply Thu 6 Jun, 2013 10:56 am
@JTT,
JTT wrote:

1.The choice of food is: Sausages; ham; cheese; eggs. That's it.

2. Tomorrow it will be sunny with scattered showers in the Manchester region. That's the weather forecast.

3. It came off in my hand, honest. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

1 & 3 aren't examples of concluded actions, C. In 1. the choice of food is and it's ongoing for as long as the choice lasts.

In 3, the person's story doesn't end. It too, reflects an ongoing truth.


1 is a recited enumeration of choices, e.g. by a waiter, or my mother, which is concluded and pronounced to be so by the speaker, no point in waiting for further items; that, as the speaker advises, is it. 3 is a concluded explanation, likewise.


JTT
 
  1  
Reply Thu 6 Jun, 2013 11:06 am
@contrex,
Quote:
1 is a recited enumeration of choices,


Precisely, the recited part is finished, but the food choices remain. That is the 'is' of "That's it".

Quote:
3 is a concluded explanation, likewise.


But the story remains as an ongoing truth. Big difference if the speaker had said,

That was my story and I'm sticking to it.
contrex
 
  1  
Reply Thu 6 Jun, 2013 12:31 pm
@JTT,
JTT wrote:

That was my story and I'm sticking to it.


This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long....
JTT
 
  1  
Reply Thu 6 Jun, 2013 08:47 pm
@contrex,
Up a stump, again.
0 Replies
 
WBYeats
 
  1  
Reply Thu 6 Jun, 2013 11:43 pm
@JTT,
QUOTE: conversational historic present...

I though native speakers always use the past tense to talk about the past....

When is this conversational historic present especially used? I know the historic/historical present, but not this one.
JTT
 
  1  
Reply Sat 8 Jun, 2013 10:18 am
@WBYeats,
Quote:
I though native speakers always use the past tense to talk about the past....

When is this conversational historic present especially used? I know the historic/historical present, but not this one.


When we tell stories "Present tenses are often used informally to tell stories. The simple present is used for the events - the things that happen one after another. The present progressive is used for 'background' - things that are already happening when the story starts, or that continue through the story."

In commentaries, sporting events, instructions, demonstrations and directions.

Practical English Usage - Michael Swan 3rd edition Section 465

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