Aspects vs. Tenses in an All-Out Grudge Match!

Although actions in the future aren't finished, one can speak about actions
that one expects to be finished in the future.

Here's perfect aspect in three tenses:

past perfect:      an event finished before another event in the past

we had gone


present perfect:    an event finished by the present time

we have gone

future perfect:   an event to be finished in the future by the time some
other future event is supposed to happen

we will have gone


Isn't present perfect used instead of simple past in some languages?

Jim







>I seem to remember reading that some people theorize that Proto-Semitic
>only had aspects, and not tenses.  I never really understood what exactly
>the difference is....if an action is in the past, isn't it finished?  And
>present actions are continuing, and future actions are only
>contemplated...
>
>
>-Stephen (Steg)
> "hhalomot zeh b'emet"
>
>___________________________________________________________________
>Get the Internet just the way you want it.
>Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month!
>Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.
>