Sentence-Ending Expressions in Quotations from Previous Research

From the Perspective of Tense and Aspect

Abstract

This paper employs quantitative research to analyze the use of tense and aspect in quotations when citing preceding research and the correlation between forms of quotation and tense/aspect. The results reveal that a quotation that ends with —te iru takes on a logical relationship with the argument within which it is embedded. However, a quotation that ends with —ta is used when a time series of statements is generated. In addition, specific forms of tense and aspect are used with specific forms of quotations. A sentence that ends with —te iru is used with the following forms: 1) a quotation that focuses on the contents without the use of to plus an indirect quotation, 2) a quotation that focuses on the author with the use of to plus an indirect quotation, and 3) a quotation that focuses on the author without the use of to plus an indirect quotation. A sentence that ends with —ta is used with a quotation that focuses on author without the use of to plus an indirect quotation.