The Category of Time Relation (or Correlation)

The debated questions within the category of correlation are: 1.the existence of this category; 2. the character of this category; 3. the paradigmatic meaning of perfect forms; 4. the interrelations between correlation, tense and aspect.

There are several interpretations of the perfect form. 1. According to the tense view, the perfect is a peculiar tense form (H. Sweet, O. Jespersen, M. Ganshina, G. Curme, M. Bryant, Yu. Korsakov,). It is an anterior tense which coexists with the other primary expressions of time( Present, Past and Future) (I shall have done it by 5 o’clock). 2. According to the aspectview, the perfect is an aspect (Nestfield, West, Deutschbein). It is treated as the aspect of completion or the aspect of succession. 3.According to the tense-aspect blend view, the perfect is recognized as a form of double temporal- aspective character (I. P. Ivanova). 4. According to the time correlation view, the perfect form builds up its own category, different from tense and aspect. This is an independent category which is termed differently by different scholars { the category of time relation (A.I.Smirnitsky), the category of correlation (B.A.Ilyish), the category of order (B.Khaimovich), the category of retrospective coordination ( M.Y. Bloch)}. Popular is the last interpretation. The category of correlation is based on the opposition of nonperfect and perfect forms( write:: have written, is writing:: has been writing). The paradigmatic meaning of a perfect form is that of precedence. This independent grammatical category of time relation(correlation) constitutes a whole system involving aspect, tense and mood( writes – has written – has been written, etc). Tense, aspect and correlation are closely connected. They, correspondingly, represent the time of an action, its development and its precedence to another action in the present, past or future.

The distinctions between the members of this opposition can be neutralized (I hear :: I have heard, I forget= I have forgotten).

A Perfect form, representing the category of correlation, is polysemantic. It has a semantic structure constituted by the paradigmatic meaning of precedence and variable syntagmatic meanings which can be revealed combining the contextual analysis with the componential method {resultativity, completeness, successiveness, an implication for thefuture, repeatedness, retrospective conclusion (People have talked like that from time immemorial. Don’t think it has been a happy marriage).

The meaning of the perfect depends on several factors. One of them is the meaning of the verb. Verbs can be durative and terminative. Durative verbs denote an action that goes on indefinitely (to go, to walk, to love, to dislike, to speak); terminative verbs denote an action reaching a limit (to come, to close, to bring, to lose to break).

Perfect forms can be encountered in all kinds of speech: vulgar and elevated, but they are most frequent in conversation. Perfect forms can emphasise the attitude of the speaker towards the people or events described ( Since the time I left you, I have lived your life. I have breathed you, I haveeaten you, I have drunk you, I have wept your eyes. I. Murdoch).

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The Category of Aspect	\|	The Category of Voice

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