Time Lines in the Persian Language

Authors

1 Associate professor of Linguistics, P N U, Tehran, Iran

2 Ph.D. Student of Linguistics, P N U, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

This descriptive-analytic research probing the findings of Traugatt (1978), Margolies & Crawford (2008), Lee & Ji (2014), and Duffy & Evans (2016) was conducted to investigate how Persian students use "time lines" of "tense" and "sequencing", and how the "positive" events from the "past" prompt using of "moving time" metaphor and "negative" events prompt using of "moving ego". Besides, how did "positive" events in the "future" prompt using of "moving ego" and "negative" events prompt using of "moving time"? How might "positive" events influence the adoption of the "moving ego" and "negative" events influence the adoption of the "moving time"? The results of the questionnaire-based data revealed that, in line with Traugott, the students used a point as a proximal point which had "now" value, in order to show present time. It means that they differentiated between [+proximal] and [-proximal], and so, time was deictic for them. Opposite to Traugott, it was revealed that "time lines" were presented in "vertical" axis. Opposite to Lee & Ji, sometimes positive events from the "past" and "future" prompted using of "moving time" and sometimes "moving ego". In line with Lee & Ji, the anticipation of "future positive" events prompted "moving time" and "future negative" events prompted "moving ego". Opposite to Margolies & Crawford, "future positive" events prompted "moving time" and "future negative" events sometimes prompted using "moving time" and sometimes "moving ego". In line with Duffy & Evans, the findings shed further light on the complex nature of the temporal reasoning.

Keywords

Research in Western Iranian Languages and Dialects
Volume 3, Issue 14 - Serial Number 14
December 2016
Pages 77-102

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