Regression in Reported Speech

Question

He said he will attend the meeting.He said he would attend the meeting.Did you say he will send you flowers?Did you say he would send you flowers?1.  Does regression change the meaning of a sentence?2.  Is so, how are the sentences in each set above differ in meaning?Please advise.  Thank you.

Avangi · Accepted Answer

He said he will attend the meeting.
He said he would attend the meeting. The "would" version could be used in a situation in which it is now known that he will not attend.
The "will" version could be used to reassure us of his intention to attend, when some doubts have been raised.

Did you say he will send you flowers? In this version, the proposed act is in the future. (If it were direct speech - with quotes - it could refer to any time.)

Did you say he would send you flowers? In this version, the proposed act could be at any time.

You're asking for situations in which they might differ, right?

- A.

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymoushow are the sentences in each set above different in meaning?

1. If you are making an immediate report (while the original speaker is still present, for example), both members of each pair are fine, many people preferring the first.

2. If a significant amount of time has passed before the statement is reported,
2a. If the time at which the event might happen has not yet come, both members of each pair are fine.
2b. If the time at which the event was planned has already come and gone, only the second of each pair works.

Note, however: Backshifting (You call it regression) is always correct. There is no reason, therefore, to worry about this sort of grammatical pattern. Just use the backshift in all cases.

CJ

Avangi · Answer

CalifJimThere is no reason, therefore, to worry about this sort of grammatical pattern.

May we worry about the pattern with "will"? I'm not sure what you're advocating here.

1. Does regression change the meaning of a sentence?
2. Is If so, how ~~are~~ do the sentences in each set above differ in meaning?

Rgdz, - A.

CalifJim · Answer

AvangiI'm not sure what you're advocating here.

I'm advocating backshifting the original statement and tacking "He said that" at the beginning of it!

Present tense backshifts to the past. are > were, etc.

Present perfect backshifts to the past perfect. has > had, etc.

will (shall), can, and may backshift to would, could, and might, respectively. can > could, etc.
These, in turn, 'backshift to themselves': would > would, etc.

must backshifts to had to.

There may be some tricky ones I haven't mentioned, but I think you get the point.

"I'll help you if I can," he said, "because you have helped me"

He said he would help me if he could, because I had helped him.

CJ

Avangi · Answer

So are you saying the version with "will" should not be used?

- A.

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJim2. If a significant amount of time has passed before the statement is reported,
2a. If the time at which the event might happen has not yet come, both members of each pair are fine.

Thanks, Avangi, I see 'will' indicates reassurance of intention, whereas 'would' could be interpreted the same as those of unreal/subjunctive conditionals.

Thank you, too, CJ. However, I have some more questions below. If you could, please advise.

CalifJim1. If you are making an immediate report (while the original speaker is still present, for example), both members of each pair are fine, many people preferring the first.

I also read from another thread we can also say the sentences below for making an immediate report. Would you agree?

He says he will attend the meeting.

Do you say he will send you flowers?

If you agree, which do you think is preferred by many people between the following for an immediate report?

He says he will attend the meeting.

Do you say he will send you flowers?
OR

He said he will attend the meeting.

Did you say he will send you flowers?

CalifJim2. If a significant amount of time has passed before the statement is reported,
2a. If the time at which the event might happen has not yet come, both members of each pair are fine.

Taking into account what you explained above, which do you think is preferred by many people between the following?

He said he will attend the meeting.

Did you say he will send you flowers?
OR

He said he would attend the meeting.

Did you say he would send you flowers?

CalifJim · Answer

AvangiSo are you saying the version with "will" should not be used? - A.

No. I'm not saying that at all. In fact, in two of the three scenarios I presented (1 and 2a) I say both versions (will and would) are fine.

CJ

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousI also read from another thread we can also say the sentences below for making an immediate report. Would you agree?

He says he will attend the meeting.
Do you say he will send you flowers?

No. I don't agree. Not entirely. The idiomatic form of the question is in the continuous tense. Here are the sentences you need if you want to put the main clause in the present.

He says he'll attend the meeting. [same]
Are you saying he'll send you flowers?

Anonymouswhich do you think is preferred ... for an immediate report?

He says he will attend the meeting.
~~Do you say~~ Are you saying he will send you flowers?
OR
He said he will attend the meeting.
Did you say he will send you flowers?

I don't believe there is a preference for the first example. Either He says or He said is frequently used in an immediate report.

The second example in each pair is, strictly speaking, not a report. It's a question with the intent to clarify what was said. For asking for clarification I believe the second version (Did you say?) is preferred. The first version (Are you saying?) doesn't have the sense of asking for clarification in quite the same way. The first version asks more about the implications of what was said, as if to ask, "Does this mean that he will send you flowers?"

Anonymouswhich do you think is preferred ...

He said he will attend the meeting.
Did you say he will send you flowers?
OR
He said he would attend the meeting.
Did you say he would send you flowers?

I believe the formula with would is preferred in the "2a" case that you are asking about here.

______________

There's probably no way to know the answer to your "preference questions" except to live among native speakers for years, recording everything they say and noting in great detail the circumstances in which they say it. After years of doing this, you can analyze the data you've gathered, but by then you will have understood instinctively when to use one form and when to use the other. Or, more likely, you will have selected the one you like best and you will always use that one.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you, CJ, for your detailed explanations. I believe I now understand.

CalifJimThere's probably no way to know the answer to your "preference questions" except to live among native speakers for years, recording everything they say and noting in great detail the circumstances in which they say it. After years of doing this, you can analyze the data you've gathered, but by then you will have understood instinctively when to use one form and when to use the other. Or, more likely, you will have selected the one you like best and you will always use that one.

I completely agree with you that I would instinctively know when to use one form over the other if I constantly spoke with native speakers. As I go along with my learning the language, I would probably know the common preference and would have a preference of my own.

Again, thanks so much. That was really really helpful.

Avangi · Answer

CalifJimNo. I'm not saying that at all.

Sorry, Jim, I misinterpreted your numbering system. Must have been tired.

Regression in Reported Speech

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