A Pragma-stylistic Study of Using the Present Tense in Narratives

Abstract

It is normally known that '' literary language '' is different from '' ordinary language '' . That is , it is full of deviation , while, Prat,(1977:80) maintains that '' ordinary language '' is accompanied by ordinary rules , and outlines the work of Grice (1975 ) concerning the appropriate conditions that accepting a particular illocution-conditions which language users assume to be in effect.
      In this study , the present tense is not referred to as an indication to the moment of speaking or action . Rather , in narratives , it signals that this genre is '' unmediated '' . As such , the present tense is heavily used by writers , regardless of the time being , to signify that a text can be read at any time. Moreover, it can be noted , that the shift from the past to the simple present tense offers readers an opportunity to think seriously of what is being said . It, thus,invites thought and suspense . As far as the writer is concerned , it seems that the writer resorts to the simple present tense just to comment , highlight and criticize some incidents or events within the story.