0

1) If she beats him he'll claim she cheated. [non-deictic past]
2) If you eat any more you'll say you don't want any tea. [non deictic present]

I don't know whether it is right or wrong but what I know is deictic expressions referring to a specific things and non- dectic expressions not referring to a specific things...In this sense, in these sentences, in the words cheated(past) and don't(present), how we refer these words are in non-deictic past or present? And the terms deictic expressions and deictic time are have different or same meaning? Because in some books I saw deictic expressions referring to a specific things and non- dectic expressions not referring to a specific things. So please tell me which is correct?

Improve this question
4
  • 1
    It looks like your examples are from your grammar book. What does your grammar book say? – Damkerng T. Oct 7 '15 at 12:40
  • 1
    @DamkerngT. CGEL, 4.1 Past, present, and future as relational categories, 125-7. These sentences are [5], 126. – StoneyB on hiatus Oct 7 '15 at 12:50
  • In my opinion, the text quoted in the other question should answer your question (or at least give you a very good idea, given that you've already studied other related concepts used in CGEL): "The preterite and present tense inflections on cheat and do indicate that Tr is respectively anterior to and simultaneous with To, but here To is clearly not Td. The time of the (possible) cheating is not anterior to the time of my uttering [5i], but to the time of his (possibly) making a claim of cheating." – Damkerng T. Oct 7 '15 at 17:10
  • 1
    Deictic has nothing to do with specificity. If you look at the answers at the linked question you will see that deixis has to do with being relatedn in space or time to the speaker's position; the verbs you are concerned with are not related to the speaker's position but to the positions of the future events will claim and will say. – StoneyB on hiatus Oct 7 '15 at 21:25
0

In the examples given, the projection in the first reflects past tense (i.e., cheated) and the second uses present tense (i.e., want). The determination of non-deictic tense is relevant to the speaker's perspective of the point being made.

Improve this answer
2
  • 2
    I think you misunderstand. Deictic time references are related to the speaker's perspective: in OP's sentences, will claim and will say lie in the speaker's future. Non-deictic time references are related to some other perspective: in OP's sentences, cheated is 'past' relative to the future event 'will claim', not an event in the speaker's past, and don't want is 'present' relative to the future event 'will say', not an event in the speaker's present. – StoneyB on hiatus Oct 7 '15 at 21:31
  • Here OP means observation post right? – Ram Oct 7 '15 at 21:49

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.