Use of modal verbs in narration
-1
I often come across the following usage of modal verbs in novels: "But Turing would die before completing and publishing his final musings". Why not simple past like "But Turing died before completing and publishing his final musings."? What is the name for this construction?
verbs modal-verbs
asked 12 hours ago
pawel_winzig
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-1
I often come across the following usage of modal verbs in novels: "But Turing would die before completing and publishing his final musings". Why not simple past like "But Turing died before completing and publishing his final musings."? What is the name for this construction?
verbs modal-verbs
asked 12 hours ago
pawel_winzig
991
New contributor
pawel_winzig is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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Using "Turing would die" means that the novel is not at the time where Turing has already died. It is simply describing that Turing will die before completing and publishing his final musings, but in the time of the novel that you are at, he is still alive.
– Sweet_Cherry
11 hours ago
@Sweet_Cherry: I often read books by Murakami. There it is often used like "He would make a coffee...He would go to...". It somehow replaces the simple past form. This seems odd if it is only a view into the future from a past time.
– pawel_winzig
11 hours ago
Sometimes authors or directors will use this as a summary to conclude a scene or chapter. In some cases it could be a cliffhanger.
– Sweet_Cherry
11 hours ago
@Sweet_Cherry: I don't think its the case, in "Norwegian Wood" Murakami is using this continuously.
– pawel_winzig
11 hours ago
Murakami wrote in Japanese. The translator may have used this construction to try to convey what was written in Japanese. But Murakami didn't really make that choice.
– The Photon
4 hours ago
|
show 4 more comments
-1
-1
-1
I often come across the following usage of modal verbs in novels: "But Turing would die before completing and publishing his final musings". Why not simple past like "But Turing died before completing and publishing his final musings."? What is the name for this construction?
verbs modal-verbs
asked 12 hours ago
pawel_winzig
991
New contributor
pawel_winzig is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I often come across the following usage of modal verbs in novels: "But Turing would die before completing and publishing his final musings". Why not simple past like "But Turing died before completing and publishing his final musings."? What is the name for this construction?
verbs modal-verbs
verbs modal-verbs
asked 12 hours ago
pawel_winzig
991
New contributor
pawel_winzig is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 12 hours ago
pawel_winzig
991
New contributor
pawel_winzig is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 12 hours ago
pawel_winzig
991
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pawel_winzig is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 12 hours ago
pawel_winzig
991
asked 12 hours ago
pawel_winzig
991
991
New contributor
pawel_winzig is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
pawel_winzig is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
pawel_winzig is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Using "Turing would die" means that the novel is not at the time where Turing has already died. It is simply describing that Turing will die before completing and publishing his final musings, but in the time of the novel that you are at, he is still alive.
– Sweet_Cherry
11 hours ago
@Sweet_Cherry: I often read books by Murakami. There it is often used like "He would make a coffee...He would go to...". It somehow replaces the simple past form. This seems odd if it is only a view into the future from a past time.
– pawel_winzig
11 hours ago
Sometimes authors or directors will use this as a summary to conclude a scene or chapter. In some cases it could be a cliffhanger.
– Sweet_Cherry
11 hours ago
@Sweet_Cherry: I don't think its the case, in "Norwegian Wood" Murakami is using this continuously.
– pawel_winzig
11 hours ago
Murakami wrote in Japanese. The translator may have used this construction to try to convey what was written in Japanese. But Murakami didn't really make that choice.
– The Photon
4 hours ago
|
show 4 more comments
Using "Turing would die" means that the novel is not at the time where Turing has already died. It is simply describing that Turing will die before completing and publishing his final musings, but in the time of the novel that you are at, he is still alive.
– Sweet_Cherry
11 hours ago
@Sweet_Cherry: I often read books by Murakami. There it is often used like "He would make a coffee...He would go to...". It somehow replaces the simple past form. This seems odd if it is only a view into the future from a past time.
– pawel_winzig
11 hours ago
Sometimes authors or directors will use this as a summary to conclude a scene or chapter. In some cases it could be a cliffhanger.
– Sweet_Cherry
11 hours ago
@Sweet_Cherry: I don't think its the case, in "Norwegian Wood" Murakami is using this continuously.
– pawel_winzig
11 hours ago
Murakami wrote in Japanese. The translator may have used this construction to try to convey what was written in Japanese. But Murakami didn't really make that choice.
– The Photon
4 hours ago
Using "Turing would die" means that the novel is not at the time where Turing has already died. It is simply describing that Turing will die before completing and publishing his final musings, but in the time of the novel that you are at, he is still alive.
– Sweet_Cherry
11 hours ago
Using "Turing would die" means that the novel is not at the time where Turing has already died. It is simply describing that Turing will die before completing and publishing his final musings, but in the time of the novel that you are at, he is still alive.
– Sweet_Cherry
11 hours ago
@Sweet_Cherry: I often read books by Murakami. There it is often used like "He would make a coffee...He would go to...". It somehow replaces the simple past form. This seems odd if it is only a view into the future from a past time.
– pawel_winzig
11 hours ago
@Sweet_Cherry: I often read books by Murakami. There it is often used like "He would make a coffee...He would go to...". It somehow replaces the simple past form. This seems odd if it is only a view into the future from a past time.
– pawel_winzig
11 hours ago
Sometimes authors or directors will use this as a summary to conclude a scene or chapter. In some cases it could be a cliffhanger.
– Sweet_Cherry
11 hours ago
Sometimes authors or directors will use this as a summary to conclude a scene or chapter. In some cases it could be a cliffhanger.
– Sweet_Cherry
11 hours ago
@Sweet_Cherry: I don't think its the case, in "Norwegian Wood" Murakami is using this continuously.
– pawel_winzig
11 hours ago
@Sweet_Cherry: I don't think its the case, in "Norwegian Wood" Murakami is using this continuously.
– pawel_winzig
11 hours ago
Murakami wrote in Japanese. The translator may have used this construction to try to convey what was written in Japanese. But Murakami didn't really make that choice.
– The Photon
4 hours ago
Murakami wrote in Japanese. The translator may have used this construction to try to convey what was written in Japanese. But Murakami didn't really make that choice.
– The Photon
4 hours ago
|
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Using "Turing would die" means that the novel is not at the time where Turing has already died. It is simply describing that Turing will die before completing and publishing his final musings, but in the time of the novel that you are at, he is still alive.
– Sweet_Cherry
11 hours ago
@Sweet_Cherry: I often read books by Murakami. There it is often used like "He would make a coffee...He would go to...". It somehow replaces the simple past form. This seems odd if it is only a view into the future from a past time.
– pawel_winzig
11 hours ago
Sometimes authors or directors will use this as a summary to conclude a scene or chapter. In some cases it could be a cliffhanger.
– Sweet_Cherry
11 hours ago
@Sweet_Cherry: I don't think its the case, in "Norwegian Wood" Murakami is using this continuously.
– pawel_winzig
11 hours ago
Murakami wrote in Japanese. The translator may have used this construction to try to convey what was written in Japanese. But Murakami didn't really make that choice.
– The Photon
4 hours ago