Tense: Interpretation and Meaning

The traditional conception of tense in Dutch linguistics is outlined with special attention to the systematic, "structuralist" analysis of tense semantics developed by L. A. te Winkel (eg, "Over de tijden der werkwoorden" [On the Tenses of Verbs], Nieuw Nederlandsch Taalmagazijn, 1857, 4, 111-135). Syntactic arguments are given for the division of the Dutch tense system into two temporal classes (present & preterit) with four overlapping pairs of tense types. A temporal modification of verbum finitum is argued to be crucial for the division distinction of two temporal classes & for the differentiation of tense types. It is proposed that the neutral terms "first finite verb form" & "second finite verb form" replace the terms of present tense & preterit, respectively, as more adequate designations of tense form, & the terms "actualis" & "disactualis" be used for differentiating their meaning. 30 References. Z. Dubiel