An Epistemological Approach to The Translation of Tenses and Aspects in English-French and French-English Contexts

Abstract

This paper delves into the complexities of translating tenses and aspects, particularly in English-French and French-English contexts, advocating for an epistemological approach that entails a meticulous examination of source language (SL) tense and aspectual elements, as well as considerations of situational context, textual nature (e.g., direct speech, narrative, retrospection, anticipation) and pragmatics. The concept of tense inherently encompasses aspect, which delineates the structure of actions conveyed by verbs. Aspect may denote completeness or incompleteness, iteration or punctuality, semelfactivity, telicity, atelicity, frequency, and permanence, among other qualities. Employing a qualitative method, this paper first outlines the theoretical underpinnings of the notions discussed, followed by concrete examples. The study reveals that tense, originally derived from the concept of time, is intricately linked with aspect and action. Aspect, moreover, extends beyond linguistic realms to encompass philosophical (e.g., Aristotelian aspect) and metalinguistic dimensions. A cross-linguistic examination of tense and aspect unveils multifaceted relationships encompassing lexical, philosophical, semantic, syntactic, pragmatic, and strategic dimensions, necessitating further elucidation.