Temporality may be grammatically coded in Tense operators, or expressed by lexical means. Temporal satellites are the most important of these lexical means. Although languages differ in the degree of articulation of their Tense operators, the most important potential distinctions can be laid out in a rather simple way, in terms of the following diagram: (68) 1 2 3 4 5 -------------……..------------------……..------------ tr In this diagram, the horizontal line symbolizes the temporal dimension, tr stands for a reference point on that dimension, and 1-5 indicate positions of SoAs [states of affairs] relative to tr. Tense operators serve to locate the SoA on the time axis in relation to some tr. Where tr coincides with the moment of speaking t0, we speak of “Absolute Tense”. Where tr is distinct from t0, we speak of “Relative Tense”. As to the possible relations between the SoA and tr, the following parameters may be relevant: (i) the SoA is anterior to, simultaneous with, or posterior to tr; (ii) the SoA is relatively close to, or relatively far removed from tr.
- Dik (1989), a pag.202-203