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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
He met an American who speaks Japanese and Chinese the other day.
0 I'd be happy if someone would answer my question. Thanks in advance. 02 br
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00 What's the difference between A and B? (Sorry no context) 02 br
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00 A: He met an American who spoke Japanese and Chinese the other day. 02 br
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00 B: He met an American who speaks Japanese and Chinese the other day. 02 br
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00 I think A means an American spoke Japanese and Chinese the other day. 02 br
00 Does A imply that the American speaks Japanese and Chinese habitually? 02 br
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00 I think B means an American speaks Japanese and Chinese habitually, and he met him the other day. 02 br
00 Does B imply that the American spoke Japanese and Chinese the other day? 02 br
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02 br
00 What's the difference between A and B? (Sorry no context) 02 br
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00 A: He met an American who spoke Japanese and Chinese the other day. 02 br
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00 B: He met an American who speaks Japanese and Chinese the other day. 02 br
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00 I think A means an American spoke Japanese and Chinese the other day. 02 br
00 Does A imply that the American speaks Japanese and Chinese habitually? 02 br
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00 I think B means an American speaks Japanese and Chinese habitually, and he met him the other day. 02 br
00 Does B imply that the American spoke Japanese and Chinese the other day? 02 br
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Top answer
02 i 02 br 02 br 00 If the fact holds true at the present moment (here, the ability to speak 2 languages), then the speaker has the option of keeping the dependent verb in the present tense (B) or retrogressing the verb to agree with the verb of the main clause (A). 02 br 00 . 0-
- 02 i 02 br 02 br 00 If the fact holds true at the present moment (here, the ability to speak 2 languages), then the speaker has the option of keeping the dependent verb in the present tense (B) or retrogressing the verb to agree with the verb of the main clause (A).
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4 Answers
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0 . 02 br
01 i 00 A: He met an American who spoke Japanese and Chinese the other day. 02 i 02 br
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01 i 00 B: He met an American who speaks Japanese and Chinese the other day. 02 i 02 br
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00 If the fact holds true at the present moment (here, the ability to speak 2 languages), then the speaker has the option of keeping the
01 i 00 A: He met an American who spoke Japanese and Chinese the other day. 02 i 02 br
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01 i 00 B: He met an American who speaks Japanese and Chinese the other day. 02 i 02 br
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00 If the fact holds true at the present moment (here, the ability to speak 2 languages), then the speaker has the option of keeping the
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0 －Hi, Micauber. I suppose it follows from your explanation that A can be interpreted two ways: One is that the American can speak the 2 languages, and spoke them the other day. The other is that the American spoke the 2 languages the other day, but it's not clear that he can speak the 2 languages now. Am I right? 0-
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00 No. Both mean the same-- no one forgets 2 languages in a few days. Communication requires common sense. 02 br
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00 No. Both mean the same-- no one forgets 2 languages in a few days. Communication requires common sense. 02 br
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0 A: He met an American who spoke Japanese and Chinese the other day. 01 font 00 The American 01 b 00 used 02 b 00 Japanese and Chinese on that occasion. Of course, that American could do it on any other occasion. 02 font 02 br
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00 B: He met an American who speaks Japanese and Chinese the other 02 br
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00 B: He met an American who speaks Japanese and Chinese the other 02 br
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