[Ads-l] odd sequence of tenses

[Dan Goncharoff]

Or, "if the quarterback doesn't fumble, the Jets win the game".
DanG


On Tue, Oct 12, 2021 at 9:53 AM Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> "Probably would have won" is correct.
>
> JL
>
> On Tue, Oct 12, 2021 at 9:07 AM dave at wilton.net <dave at wilton.net> wrote:
>
> >
> > I don't see anything odd at all, it's just the natural sequence of
> tenses.
> > The superordinate verb is in the historical present, so the time frame of
> > the entire sentence is the present. The lack of a pandemic in the
> > subordinate clause would then normally be expressed in past perfect, as
> it
> > is a "completed" action. (The fact that it didn't happen is over and done
> > with.)
> >
> > "If there had not been a coronavirus in 2020, Trump probably won that
> > election" seems odd to me, especially coming from Axelrod. Ending on
> > "probably won" gives the impression that Axelrod thinks Trump should be
> > president, which is clearly not the case. That's not literally what the
> > sentence says, but ending on that note gives that impression especially
> > when so many nutters are actually claiming he won.
> >
> > Removing the political considerations:
> >
> > "If the quarterback had not fumbled, the Jets probably won the game."
> >
> > Yep, that seems weird to me. "Win" is what I would say.
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: "Jonathan Lighter" <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> > Sent: Monday, October 11, 2021 7:09pm
> > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> > Subject: Re: [ADS-L] odd sequence of tenses
> >
> >
> >
> > Superficially, but it's substituting for a conditional "would have," not
> a
> > past "won."
> >
> > JL
> >
> > On Mon, Oct 11, 2021 at 6:21 PM Barretts Mail <mail.barretts at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Isn’t that just the narrative present?
> > > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_present <
> > > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_present>
> > >
> > > Benjamin Barrett (he/his/him)
> > > Formerly of Seattle, WA
> > >
> > > > On 11 Oct 2021, at 05:40, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > David Axelrod, former Obama official, on CNN:
> > > >
> > > > "If there had not been a coronavirus in 2020, Trump probably wins
> that
> > > > election."
> > > >
> > > > Note the formality of "had not" before the weirdness sets in.
> > > >
> > > > JL
> > >
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> > >
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> >
>
>
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
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