On Elaborating The English Time System

Along with continuous development of linguistics, the scholars begin to explore time from many angles. Particularly Halliday, he analyzed the relationship between aspect and tense from functional grammar, and from each aspect of the phrases, sentences etc., he studied the function of the time category in English and its meaning features. The English time system was divided into three sub-systems: time phase, time sequence and time order. This thesis analyzes them from the aspects of lexicon, syntax, and function grammar, based on the above-mentioned researches.As to English time system, this thesis, based on English itself, explores the essence of that system, referring the Chinese time system. In order to research that system, not only we look down at the total characteristics of this system from the macro view angle, but also we should analyzes the differences and connections of each partial system. In this thesis, I have studied time system from time phase, time sequence and time order. The three sub-systems have differences and connections, together constituting the time system. The time phase is determined by the meaning of the verbs and incarnates the inner time features of matters. Time phase is a kind of semantic category, which is established on the concept of foundation --- "existence, continuance, limit, change, interval, transform ect." Time sequence means that the predicates present the order between two actions or the action and the awardable action. Time order is used to describe the certain condition of the matter at one time. It is the syntheses of the semantic category and the expression of multilayer language. In regard to English, each aspect of time system has inseparable relations with verbs and time words. Time phase system mainly depends on the meaning of the verbs. Time sequence system has the symbol of the verb's grammatical forms. While time order depends on the time structure phrase to be recognized. Time phase, time sequence and time order are mutually independent as well as mutually contractive. Seeing from philosophy angle, they are the total and individual character, the separation and combination of the contents and forms.