Observations sur la pragmatique des temps

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to show how the use of Relevance Theory can simplify traditional analyses of a range of temporal phenomena. First, it is argued that logical descriptions of the past which treats it as ambiguous can be replaced by a pragmatic analysis which treats the past as univocal. Second, it is shown that the temporal progression characteristic of the so- called narrative past falls out from relevance-theoretic considerations, without the need for logical stipulation. Third, it is argued that a partial explanation for the interpretation of present tense sentences containing dynamic verbs can be derived from the exploitation of the idea of « interpretive use ».