Preterite

Question

Hello everyone,what exactly is a preterite?Merriam-Webster just states: Past Tense.Is it only another word for it, or is there more to it?Can I say thought is the preterite of think, or the past tense of think, interchangeably?Thank you for your help.H.

Philip · Accepted Answer

I believe that 'preterite' is just the simple past.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Henry74what exactly is a preterite?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preterite

The precise definition depends on the language you are describing.
In English, it is simple past tense.

Henry74 · Answer

Okay.
So, if I understand correctly, preterite is the name of a function many languages have in common. In English that funcion is performed by the the Simple Past.
Still, I'm not sure this is 100% clear to me.
1) Would you call "preterite" a tense?
2) I understand that would is viewed by many as the preterite of will. I also understand that this is point of contention - I don't mean to debate this. Only, if you share this vew, would equally say that would is the past tense of will?
3) In other words, do "preterite" and "past tense" name the same thing?

Am I making it more difficult than it actually is?
Thanks again.

H.

BillJ · Answer

Henry74So, if I understand correctly, preterite is the name of a function many languages have in common. In English that funcion is performed by the the Simple Past.

At language-particular level, English often uses the term simple past tense, though the term preterite is used in more scholarly manuals and grammars. Just consider the two terms to be interchangeable.

Henry74) Would you call "preterite" a tense?

Yes.

Henry742) I understand that would is viewed by many as the preterite of will. I also understand that this is point of contention - I don't want to debate this. Only, if you share this vew, would equally say that would is the past tense of will?

"Would" is certainly the preterite (simple past tense) of "will", (and "could", "might", and "should" are the preterite forms of "can, "may" and "shall" respectively).

Henry743) In other words, do "preterite" and "past tense" name the same thing?

Yes, they do. A preterite is defined as an inflectional form of the verb whose primary use is to locate the situation in past time. The same definition applies to the simple past tense, so in that respect they name the same thing, as you put it.

Henry74Am I making it more difficult than it actually is?

Yes!

BillJ

Henry74 · Answer

Thank you Bill!
It's clear now.

H.

Preterite

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