The Pragmatic Conditions for Present Perfect and Simple Past Sentence-Making in Akan

Abstract

Abstract

This paper has the primary objective of establishing the pragmatic basis for concluding on a present perfect sentence as currently or continuously relevant and the simple past sentence as currently not relevant. This is an attempt to make the concept current relevance as used in relation to present perfect and simple past sentences in Akan determinate for Akan. Three to four formal tests were conducted to reach the following conclusions: The one primary focus or motivation for making a simple past or present perfect sentence in Akan is to indicate the validity/persistence or non-validity/non-persistence of a past event context as at the moment of speech; context is defined here as non-temporal in the form of some evidence of a past event in some space, and/or as temporal such as the period of time within which an event remains/is valid. In summary, in Akan a past event is currently relevant when context(s) of it in focus is/are current (i.e. persists or is valid as at the moment of speech) - present perfect; and currently not relevant when context(s) of it in focus is/are non-current (i.e. not persistent or valid as at the moment of speech) – simple past.