Complexity of the grammatical category of tense: the number of categorical forms

Due to its complexity the problem of the grammatical category of tense has always been in the focus of linguistic discussions. Linguists differ greatly in the questions related to the scope of this category and, consequently, to the number of categorial forms they find in English. This number varies from two to twelve in various interpretations. The controversy of opinions is related to two main factors: 1) the relations between tense and the other two verbal categories in which the concept of time is represented (aspect and time correlation) and 2) the status of shall/will + Infinitive, i.e. the problem of Future tense.

The concept of time, being of great importance for the speakers of English (and many other languages), finds its representation in three grammatical categories: tense, aspect and time correlation / phase, but in each of these categories it is represented differently, different aspects of this concept are foregrounded:

• tense represents the relation of the action to the moment of speech (the speaker's now),

• aspect reflects the internal temporal structure of the situation as presented by the speaker, the speaker's 'vision' and interpretation of the temporal situation and

• time correlation (phase) presents the action in its correlation to another action or point in time as prior to it.

Thus, these three categories present three ways of interpreting the concept of time and representing it in the grammatical system of the verb.

The close interrelation of these three categories finds its iconic expression in the form of the verb where they are presented simultaneously (syncretically). E.g. the grammatical form It has been raining for hours expresses an action which began prior to the moment of speech, has been going on for a certain period of time up to the moment of speech and is still going on, i.e. simultaneous to the moment of speech. This syncretism finds its reflection in the name of the grammatical form - Present Perfect Continuous. In practical grammars of English all such complex forms are usually referred to as tenses.

The fact of their close interrelation gives grounds to interpret such forms as various 'tenses' and in this case the number of tenses in English invariably grows. E.g., A.V.Korsakov presents the grammatical category of tense in English as a complex system which includes absolute and anterior tenses (based on the opposition of Indefinite and Perfect forms), and static and dynamic tenses (based on the opposition of Indefinite and Continuous forms) (Korsakov).

However, for the sake of theoretical clarity in this question it is necessary to bring to mind the postulates of the grammatical category suggested by A.I.Smirnitsky. According to one of the main postulates a categorial form cannot express simultaneously several meanings of the same grammatical category though it can express several meanings of different grammatical categories. In fact it appears a very simple and very logical postulate when it is applied to other grammatical categories. Indeed, if the form of a noun expresses singularity, it cannot express plurality at one and the same time. If the form of a verb is passive, it cannot express an active meaning at one and the same time. Applied to the grammatical form it has been raining this postulate invariably brings us to a conclusion that the meanings of present, perfect and continuous, expressed by this form must be referred to three different categories, but not to one and the same, though they do coexist in the form (which is just one of the many cases of syncretism in the language).