Tense aspect in discourse Richard Loebel
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The document discusses William Bull's framework for describing tense in discourse. Bull's framework establishes an axis of orientation that a speaker uses to place themselves in relation to another event. This framework can be applied to both Spanish and English. The framework helps explain why ESL students may "discourse hop" by changing tense without shifting axis. Examples are provided of coherent and incoherent uses of tense related to the axis. Teaching methods are suggested to help students understand and properly apply tense through interacting with a visual model of Bull's framework and practicing shifting the axis of sample text.
Tense aspect in discourse Richard Loebel
- 1. Tense Aspect-Modality in Discourse Richard Loebel Presents
- 2. The Bull Framework • Linguist William Bull proposed a framework to describe tense in Spanish. This framework also has application in English. • His framework sets up an axis of orientation in which a speaker may place their self to describe another event. • The speaker establishes one axis for them, and describes something in another axis. Example with future axis: Before: He will be finished running before 6. During: He is going to sleep at 7. After: After dinner, he is going to play golf.
- 3. Bull Framework Applied to English • When applied to English, speakers still stay within one axis of orientation, past,present, or future. • Future tense has no distinct form, and is still described using “will” “going to” along with other indicators.
- 4. Helping ESL Students with Tense-aspect use in text. • Students who don’t understand the importance of axis-orientation may “discourse hop.” • Example: I don’t know what to do for my vacation. It will start in three weeks. I saved enough money for a really nice trip. I went to Hawaii. It will be too early to go to the mountains. I worked hard all year. I really need a break. • While this is understandable, we want students to present more cohesive writing through consistent use of axis forms. • Example: I don’t know what to do with my vacation. It starts in three weeks. I have saved enough money for a really nice trip. I have been to Hawaii. It is too early to go to the mountains. I have worked hard all year. I really need a break.
- 5. Helping ESL Students with Tense-aspect • We can provide the students with a visual model to illustrate the Bull framework and 3- axis structure.
- 6. Helping ESL Students with Tense-aspect • We can then have students interact with a visual model in which they can see the cohesiveness when language follows Bull’s framework.
- 7. Another Teaching Idea • Have a student describe what their average school day is like. • Then write this on the board, all in the present tense, having each sentence describe one action in their routine. • Then, have students choose a sentence in the paragraph to use as their axis point, and guide them on modifying the rest of the paragraph to fit the new axis.
- 8. Summation on Tense in Discourse • Learning to properly apply the right tense in discourse can be a tricky concept for ESL students to grasp. • Bull’s framework provides a good structure for students to understand perspective influences what tense is used in discourse situations. • Helping students view and create discourse from an established axis via the framework will help them in their use of proper tense and discourse cohesiveness.
- 9. Article for Reference. Larson-Freeman, Diane, Tom Kheun, and Mark Haccius. Helping Students Make Appropriate English Verb Tense- Aspect Choices 4th ser. 11 (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 22 May 2015.