I have never said that + tense

Question

Hello,I've been trying to find any discussions on this topic but haven't been successful, so I am writing here.So I have this sentence:I have never said that I liked you.Does this mean:a) At no point in time did I say that I had liked you (referring to a time before my "not" saying that I liked you).b) At no point in time did I say that I liked you (at that time).Another example with a positive sentence: I have said that I like(1) / liked(2) / had liked(3) you many times.(3): I interpret it as: At some point in time, I said, "I liked you." I've done this multiple times. Now I am reporting it and therefore say (3), that is, I have to change the past tense to past perfect.(2): This is the same thing as (3), but at some point in the past, I said, "I like you."(1): Now this confuses me, the only thing that came to my mind was that there is no backshift because the speaker still likes the mentioned person.Are my assumptions correct? If not, how is it with this combination of tenses?Thanks a million for any answer!

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

As a native speaker, I simply convert this reported speech in my head to an actual quote.

I have never said, "I like you."

It is spoken in the present.

The interpretation of what is actually meant requires a context.

CalifJim · Answer

anonymous
Hello,
I've been trying to find any discussions on this topic but haven't been successful, so I am writing here.
So I have this sentence:
I have never said that I liked you.
Does this mean:
a) At no point in time did I say that I had liked you (referring to a time before my "not" saying that I liked you).
b) At no point in time did I say that I liked you (at that time).
Another example with a positive sentence: I have said that I like(1) / liked(2) / had liked(3) you many times.
(3): I interpret it as: At some point in time, I said, "I liked you." I've done this multiple times. Now I am reporting it and therefore say (3), that is, I have to change the past tense to past perfect.
(2): This is the same thing as (3), but at some point in the past, I said, "I like you."
(1): Now this confuses me, the only thing that came to my mind was that there is no backshift because the speaker still likes the mentioned person.

Are my assumptions correct? If not, how is it with this combination of tenses?

Thanks a million for any answer!

Nobody parses these sorts of statements so closely.

I have never said that I like you.
~
There has never been any time in my life at which I said "I like you".

You can say liked instead of like, but it doesn't change the meaning.

I have said that I like you many times.
~
I have said "I like you" many times (during my life).

You can say liked instead of like, but it doesn't change the meaning.

had liked is not at all useful in that sentence.

No one can think through all the possible semantic nuances and logical consequences of saying one or another of various minor variants fast enough in a conversation at normal speed, and no one who hears them has the patience to think them through either.

CJ

I have never said that + tense

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