Putative should - what time does it express? [closed]

Solution 1:

Setting aside how to label these kinds of sentences, here is what these British-sounding sentences mean to me, a native speaker of American English. I could be wrong.

1 I'm surprised that he should say it to you. (Has he already said it or is it going to happen in the future?)

He has already said it. The speaker is surprised to learn that he has said it.

2 It's a pity that they should be so obstinate. (Have they already been obstinate or are they obstinate now?)

They are already obstinate and may continue to be obstinate.

3 I don't know why he should go there tomorrow. (Correct in terms of grammar?)

Grammatical, yes. The speaker does not know of any reason why he would want or would be obliged to go there tomorrow.

4 I don't know why he should go there yesterday. (Correct in terms of grammar?)

Not grammatical to my US ears. I would expect "should have gone".

One more thing, do the following unequivocally express the future reference? 5 I'm surprised that he should be going to say it tomorrow. (or I'm surprised that he should be saying it tomorrow.)

The speaker expresses surprise upon learning of "his" intention to say something tomorrow. Because of "tomorrow" the future is unequivocally the time in question. But even without "tomorrow", "going to say" points to the future. And so of course the something has not yet been said. The speaker been informed in some manner or has learned through some means that he intends to say something tomorrow. He may never say it. The belief that he intends to say something tomorrow may be wrong.

"Saying" or "going to say" both work.

But if you remove "tomorrow" and choose "saying it" instead of "going to say", then he is already (alleged to be) saying it.