Tense (Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics)

Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics

by Bernard Comrie

Bernard Comrie defines tense as the grammaticalisation of location in time. In this textbook he introduces readers to the range of variation found in tense systems across the languages of the world, bringing together a rich collection of illustrative material that student and specialist alike will find invaluable. This systematic account of the data is carefully integrated with a theoretical discussion of tense that is sensitive both to the range of tense oppositions found cross-linguistically and also to the constraints on that variation. For the most part the book is written without formalism, nor is it written within the framework of any specific current theory of linguistics. Nevertheless, as the final chapter makes clear, a formal theory of tense can build upon the insights gained here. For all readers, Dr Comrie's coherent and characteristically elegant account of this complex grammatical category will provide a solid basis for further research on tense, even in a language as thoroughly studied as English.

Genres: Linguistics, Nonfiction

139 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book provides a fairly accessible introduction to tense, but I think it needs to be paired with a text on aspect. Also, the utter lack of glossing is incredibly frustrating: you cannot expect me to buy a claim about a language's tense system when all you give me is an utterance from Language X, and its translation into English. You cannot do a linguistic analysis based on free translations!

[Marcus Lira · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book if you want to know more about how world languages deal with time, its grammaticalization and the like.

[emilyvotruba · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first four pages of this book rule!

[Laura Wetsel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good general description of tense. The final chapter on the formula of tense could be discarded.