A question about tense usage in "since clause"

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Mr Wordy  #545663  Thu, 24 Jul 08 02:55 AM

Viceidol
It's a long time since he lived there. (It suggests "He does not live there for a long time.")

It's a long time since he has lived there. (It suggests "He lives there for a long time.")

 

Are you sure that you copied those right-hand sentences correctly? Neither of them is good English, except, unusually, in the context of a present-tense narrative, which I can't imagine is the intention here (and in any case would not lead to correct interpretations of the sentences in italics).

To me, there is no material difference in meaning between the two sentences in italics. Both mean that he used to live there, but he left a long time ago and does not live there now.

More generally, though, the simple past means that we're referring to a single instance of whatever activity it is, and the perfect tense tends to suggest several instances or a pattern of behaviour. This difference is of little importance with the verb "lived", but in other cases it can be more apparent. For example,

It's a long time since he's visited America. -- Suggests that he previously visited America several times, perhaps regularly, but that this pattern of behaviour stopped a long time ago. 

It's a long time since he visited America. -- Means that it's been a long time since that last specific visit. (Note, though, that it's quite possible to use this form even if he used to visit regularly, because there's always a last specific visit.)

  
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Viceidol  #545681  Thu, 24 Jul 08 03:26 AM

Mr Wordy

Viceidol
It's a long time since he lived there. (It suggests "He does not live there for a long time.")

It's a long time since he has lived there. (It suggests "He lives there for a long time.")

 Are you sure that you copied those right-hand sentences correctly? Neither of them is good English, except, unusually, in the context of a present-tense narrative, which I can't imagine is the intention here (and in any case would not lead to correct interpretations of the sentences in italics).

I'm sorry that I didn't translate it very well, but the book says: "It's a long time since he lived there." suggests "He does not live there now.(He lived there.)", and "It's a long time since he has lived there." suggests "He still lives here now. (He has lived there for a long time.)" 

  
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Mr Wordy  #545706  Thu, 24 Jul 08 04:08 AM

Viceidol
"It's a long time since he lived there." suggests "He does not live there now.(He lived there.)",

Roughly correct, but omits to say that he left a long time ago (I suppose they take that as being obvious).

Viceidol
"It's a long time since he has lived there." suggests "He still lives here now. (He has lived there for a long time.)" 

Nonsense. If your book really does say this then I recommend you throw it away and get a different one.

(But I notice you say "I didn't translate it very well". So, the explanation is not written in English? Is it possible that you're still mistranslating it?)

  
Viceidol  #545892  Thu, 24 Jul 08 01:59 PM

Mr Wordy

(But I notice you say "I didn't translate it very well". So, the explanation is not written in English? Is it possible that you're still mistranslating it?)

No, my understanding this time is right. Then I believe this part of my grammar book must be wrong.

I'd really like to ask further into this question. Allow me to write a new post to discuss it. Thank you, Mr. Wordy. You've helped me a lot!

  
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