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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Historical present
I'm trying to showcase the use of historical present in this famous speech. But I'm getting confused about what is past tense and what is present tense.
Historical Present definition = using present tense when talking about past things
“I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man. Not now, not ever…….I was offended too by the sexism, by the misogyny of the Leader of the Opposition catcalling across this table at me as I sit here as Prime Minister, “If the Prime Minister wants to, politically speaking, make an honest woman of herself…”, something that would never have been said to any man sitting in this chair. I was offended when the Leader of the Opposition went outside in the front of Parliament and stood next to a sign that said “Ditch the witch.”
Would my examples be:
catcalling across this table
as I sit here as Prime Minister
Are these incorrect? and in fact there are no examples of this device in this copy at all.
Historical Present definition = using present tense when talking about past things
“I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man. Not now, not ever…….I was offended too by the sexism, by the misogyny of the Leader of the Opposition catcalling across this table at me as I sit here as Prime Minister, “If the Prime Minister wants to, politically speaking, make an honest woman of herself…”, something that would never have been said to any man sitting in this chair. I was offended when the Leader of the Opposition went outside in the front of Parliament and stood next to a sign that said “Ditch the witch.”
Would my examples be:
catcalling across this table
as I sit here as Prime Minister
Are these incorrect? and in fact there are no examples of this device in this copy at all.
Top answer
Anonymous catcalling across this table The 'historical present' refers only to the tense of verbs. Anonymous as I sit here as Prime Minister I was offended too by the sexism, by the misogyny of the Leader of the Opposition catcalling across this table at me as I sit here as Prime Minister ... The tenses are not consistent, but I wouldn't call them incorrect.
- Anonymous catcalling across this table The 'historical present' refers only to the tense of verbs.
- Anonymous as I sit here as Prime Minister I was offended too by the sexism, by the misogyny of the Leader of the Opposition catcalling across this table at me as I sit here as Prime Minister ...
- The tenses are not consistent, but I wouldn't call them incorrect.
- The speaker is conflating her past being offended with her ongoing sitting as prime minister.
- There are no example of the historical present in the passage.
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1 Answers
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Anonymouscatcalling across this tableThe 'historical present' refers only to the tense of verbs.
Anonymousas I sit here as Prime MinisterI was offended too by the sexism, by the misogyny of the Leader of the Opposition catcalling across this table at me as I sit here as Prime Minister ...
The
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