18 LOCATION IN TIME: TIME RELATIONS. FREQUENCY.

Introduction:
- Location in time = Semantic notions which have several realizations on the syntactic and
lexical levels.
- These realizations respond to the questions When? and How often?
Spatio temporal framework in which communication takes place.
Location in Time:
- The Concept of Time: A ,easurable continuum that lacks spatial dimensions (En. Br.).
- Past - Present - Future.
- Children find it easier to construct linguistic productions which mirror chronological order of
occurrence with order of description.
- The most obvious referent = Present Time.
The remaining notions of Past Time and Future Time are established in relation with
the Present Time.
- Time and Discourse:
- Deictic categories in English:
1. Adverbs, prepositional phrases, nouns or subordinate clauses Adverbials.
2. Tense and Aspect in Verbs.
3. Adjectives or Nouns.
Time Relations:
- From the semantic point of view: Three classes
Time - When (Position)
Time - Frequency.
Time - Duration.
Semantic classification of Time Position expressions.
1. Point in Time: Adverbials or Adjectives.
2. A boundary of Time: Adverbials, Prepositions, Adjectives.
Syntactic Functions of Time Position Expressions:
1. Adverbs
2. Prepositional Phrases.
3. Nouns.
4. Clauses.
They can belong to: - Adjuncts.
- Subjuncts.
- Conjuncts.
Their position in a sentence can vary.
- Time When Prepositions: IN, ON, AT.
- Time Position Subjuncts
(M = Mid-position ; E = End-position)
DECLARATIVES

INTERROGATIVES

POSITIVE

NEGATIVE

POSITIVE

NEGATIVE

Still (M)
Already (M)

Still (M)
Yet (E)

Still (M)
Yet (M/E)
Already (M)

Still (M)
Yet (M/E)
Already (M)

- Relations between Different Time Positions:

Three Major divisions of Time:
1. Position Previous to another position.

2. Position Simultaneous to another position.

3. Position Consequent to another position.
- Time Duration:
Time as a linear Dimension: - Past-Backward.
- Future Forward.
- General Duration.
Aspect: Grammatical category which refers to the flow and fragmentation of time.
Progressive Aspect = Duration.
Frequency:
- Number of times some events or actions are repeated.
- Semantic Classification:
- Definite frequency adjuncts:

- Period frequency.
- Number frequency.

- Indefinite frequency adjuncts:

- Usual occurrence.
- Continuus / Continual frequency.
- High frequency.
- Low/Zero frequency.
- Syntactic Functions of Time frequency Expressions:
Adverbials (Adjuncts) Main syntactic functions
1. Multipliers.
2. Quantifiers.
3. Adverbs.
4. Prep. Phr.
5. Nouns.
6. Clauses.
- Adjuncts of Indefinite frequency usually appear in mid-position.
- Adjuncts of Definite frquency Final position.
Adjectives can modify nouns and express frequency. (The annual meeting).
Some verbs imply frequency.
Conclusion:
- The linguistic refernce to position in time is as essential as the relation a speaker may have
with the physical world.
Regarding our capability of expressing time and stating temporal references, we must train our
students in the correct use of these concepts and notions.
- Linguistic Competence.
- Learn to learn.
- Knowledge of the physical world.
+ Cross Curricular Dimension.