Reply
Tue 24 Sep, 2013 07:32 pm
A news reporter says:
-In Tahrir Square in Cairo, this man said, I come here for al-Sisi.
1. Judging by this sentence, can this sentence mean the act of coming is not a habit?
2. and the reporter uses the present tense COME instead of CAME; is it because the person has just come, so the present tense is justified on the analogy of SAY/SAYS, which present tense can be used when reporting something was said only a short while ago?
Thank you. WB.
@WBYeats,
Quote:A news reporter says:
-In Tahrir Square in Cairo, this man said, I come here for al-Sisi.
1. Judging by this sentence, can this sentence mean the act of coming is not a habit?
Hard to know for sure without more context, WB. Could be that the man is not a native speaker.
Quote:2. and the reporter uses the present tense COME instead of CAME; is it because the person has just come, so the present tense is justified on the analogy of SAY/SAYS, which present tense can be used when reporting something was said only a short while ago?
My guess is that the reporter is giving a direct quote or at least attempting to pass it off as a direct quote, but again, without more context, it isn't easy to state what the deal is.
@JTT,
Thank you, JTT.
According to your answer, now, say, I am in a square and I don't have the habit of coming to this square, which habit might justify the use of the present tense; can I tell people that 'I come here for al-Sisi' instead of CAME?
@WBYeats,
Quote:According to your answer, now, say, I am in a square and I don't have the habit of coming to this square, which habit might justify the use of the present tense; can I tell people that 'I come here for al-Sisi' instead of CAME?
"I come here for al-Sisi" can be used to describe a first occurrence. Using the present tense form can illustrate a degree of importance, a momentous decision, an important first.
If a body comes to support someone/something of great importance, it isn't likely to be a frivolous choice. It is likely an ongoing habit/routine/... .
This is different than the situation you described in the previous post.
@JTT,
Thank you JTT. Can I use COME in the past tense this way?:
-When I was an undergraduate, I knew many exchange students; they CAME from the US, UK, Canada, Ireland and Australia. They told me...
@WBYeats,
Quote:Thank you JTT. Can I use COME in the past tense this way?:
-When I was an undergraduate, I knew many exchange students; they CAME from the US, UK, Canada, Ireland and Australia. They told me...
You can use it in this situation for sure, WB,
When I was an undergraduate, I knew many exchange students; they COME from the US, UK, Canada, Ireland and Australia. They told me...
but it isn't past tense. A speaker shift to COME notes that it is still happening.
@JTT,
Thank you, JTT. But...no no no, I meant, could I use CAME in that way...
Selected Answer
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace