Grounding via tense–aspect in Tobagonian Creole: discourse strategies across a creole continuum (original) (raw)

The paper examines the tense-aspect systems of Tobagonian Creole, specifically focusing on the markers Ø, bin~en/did, and -ed used in narrative discourse. It aims to clarify the roles of these markers in distinguishing foreground and background information within oral and written narratives. By analyzing their contextual meanings and their relationships in discourse, the study proposes a more consistent understanding of their functions, and suggests that -ed may substitute for bin~en/did in the transitional area between Creole and Standard English.