¿“Pre-presente” o “pretérito perfecto compuesto aoristizado”? Una mirada sobre dos planteamientos opuestos respecto a un cambio lingüístico en curso

Abstract

The present article discusses the applicability of the aspectual model of Klein (1992) to the “pretérito perfecto aoristizado” (‘aoristicized compound perfect’) of Peninsular Spanish. This model is currently used as the principal frame of reference by the “aspectualist” approach. The article also presents and discusses alternative approaches to the problem. The article concludes that, in spite of certain advantages, the model of Klein also presents problems: as a hodiernal tense, the compound perfect integrates elements of both the Aorist and the Perfect aspect, and it is often questionable to attempt to distinguish between them. The model of Klein also ignores the close ties of the compound perfect with the moment of utterance, which manifest themselves in its frequent use in hodiernal contexts as well as in its occasional use in prehodiernal contexts, as a marked form, when the speaker stresses the close connection of the past event with the present moment. The reason is that the compound perfect of Peninsular Spanish differs from its equivalent in English, a language for which the model of Klein was originally conceived.