Is “should be” talking about the past or the present or the future?
Not sure who’s working but this should be resolved.
Does that should be resolved part mean (1) that it has already been resolved in the past, or (2) that he is expecting or needing it to be resolved now in the present, or (3) that he is asking for it to be resolved at some point in the future?
Was its resolution completed in the past, or is it still happening now in the present, or will it happen the future?
Is it the done case, the doing now, or the yet to do case?
verbs ambiguity modal-verbs
migrated from english.stackexchange.com Mar 22 at 5:37
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
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Not sure who’s working but this should be resolved.
Does that should be resolved part mean (1) that it has already been resolved in the past, or (2) that he is expecting or needing it to be resolved now in the present, or (3) that he is asking for it to be resolved at some point in the future?
Was its resolution completed in the past, or is it still happening now in the present, or will it happen the future?
Is it the done case, the doing now, or the yet to do case?
verbs ambiguity modal-verbs
migrated from english.stackexchange.com Mar 22 at 5:37
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
5
It can mean all of those things. The sentence is ambiguous without any context.
– Jason Bassford
Mar 21 at 5:25
add a comment |
Not sure who’s working but this should be resolved.
Does that should be resolved part mean (1) that it has already been resolved in the past, or (2) that he is expecting or needing it to be resolved now in the present, or (3) that he is asking for it to be resolved at some point in the future?
Was its resolution completed in the past, or is it still happening now in the present, or will it happen the future?
Is it the done case, the doing now, or the yet to do case?
verbs ambiguity modal-verbs
Not sure who’s working but this should be resolved.
Does that should be resolved part mean (1) that it has already been resolved in the past, or (2) that he is expecting or needing it to be resolved now in the present, or (3) that he is asking for it to be resolved at some point in the future?
Was its resolution completed in the past, or is it still happening now in the present, or will it happen the future?
Is it the done case, the doing now, or the yet to do case?
verbs ambiguity modal-verbs
verbs ambiguity modal-verbs
asked Mar 21 at 1:53
Ram
migrated from english.stackexchange.com Mar 22 at 5:37
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
migrated from english.stackexchange.com Mar 22 at 5:37
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
5
It can mean all of those things. The sentence is ambiguous without any context.
– Jason Bassford
Mar 21 at 5:25
add a comment |
5
It can mean all of those things. The sentence is ambiguous without any context.
– Jason Bassford
Mar 21 at 5:25
5
5
It can mean all of those things. The sentence is ambiguous without any context.
– Jason Bassford
Mar 21 at 5:25
It can mean all of those things. The sentence is ambiguous without any context.
– Jason Bassford
Mar 21 at 5:25
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
It can mean multiple things, and you have to judge it from context.
It can mean that the person thinks it has been resolved:
You're still having problems logging in? That should be resolved, I just deployed the new build.
It can mean they think that someone ought to fix it:
You're still having problems logging in? That should be resolved, we can't have people unable to log in.
It can mean that there is a specific point in time they expect it to be resolved by:
You're still having problems logging in? That should be resolved by about 5pm, we're working on it now.
answered Mar 22 at 12:06
SamBCSamBC
14.8k1958
add a comment |
It simply means that the person wants it to be resolved, either in the present or near future.
answered Mar 22 at 6:10
Bella SwanBella Swan
85710
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Bella Swan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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It can also mean that they thought it had already been resolved, but are expressing doubt.
– SamBC
Mar 22 at 12:06
@SamBC the he would have used "should have been resolved"
– Bella Swan
Mar 22 at 12:16
That is not my experience. They are effectively using resolved as an adjective in such cases, not as a verb.
– SamBC
Mar 22 at 12:24
add a comment |
To mean:
past: ...this should have been resolved
present: ...this is being resolved
future: ...this should be resolved
answered Mar 22 at 6:26
Paul S. LeePaul S. Lee
101
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
It can mean multiple things, and you have to judge it from context.
It can mean that the person thinks it has been resolved:
You're still having problems logging in? That should be resolved, I just deployed the new build.
It can mean they think that someone ought to fix it:
You're still having problems logging in? That should be resolved, we can't have people unable to log in.
It can mean that there is a specific point in time they expect it to be resolved by:
You're still having problems logging in? That should be resolved by about 5pm, we're working on it now.
answered Mar 22 at 12:06
SamBCSamBC
14.8k1958
add a comment |
It can mean multiple things, and you have to judge it from context.
It can mean that the person thinks it has been resolved:
You're still having problems logging in? That should be resolved, I just deployed the new build.
It can mean they think that someone ought to fix it:
You're still having problems logging in? That should be resolved, we can't have people unable to log in.
It can mean that there is a specific point in time they expect it to be resolved by:
You're still having problems logging in? That should be resolved by about 5pm, we're working on it now.
answered Mar 22 at 12:06
SamBCSamBC
14.8k1958
add a comment |
It can mean multiple things, and you have to judge it from context.
It can mean that the person thinks it has been resolved:
You're still having problems logging in? That should be resolved, I just deployed the new build.
It can mean they think that someone ought to fix it:
You're still having problems logging in? That should be resolved, we can't have people unable to log in.
It can mean that there is a specific point in time they expect it to be resolved by:
You're still having problems logging in? That should be resolved by about 5pm, we're working on it now.
answered Mar 22 at 12:06
SamBCSamBC
14.8k1958
It can mean multiple things, and you have to judge it from context.
It can mean that the person thinks it has been resolved:
You're still having problems logging in? That should be resolved, I just deployed the new build.
It can mean they think that someone ought to fix it:
You're still having problems logging in? That should be resolved, we can't have people unable to log in.
It can mean that there is a specific point in time they expect it to be resolved by:
You're still having problems logging in? That should be resolved by about 5pm, we're working on it now.
answered Mar 22 at 12:06
SamBCSamBC
14.8k1958
answered Mar 22 at 12:06
SamBCSamBC
14.8k1958
answered Mar 22 at 12:06
SamBCSamBC
14.8k1958
answered Mar 22 at 12:06
SamBCSamBC
14.8k1958
14.8k1958
add a comment |
add a comment |
It simply means that the person wants it to be resolved, either in the present or near future.
answered Mar 22 at 6:10
Bella SwanBella Swan
85710
New contributor
Bella Swan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
It can also mean that they thought it had already been resolved, but are expressing doubt.
– SamBC
Mar 22 at 12:06
@SamBC the he would have used "should have been resolved"
– Bella Swan
Mar 22 at 12:16
That is not my experience. They are effectively using resolved as an adjective in such cases, not as a verb.
– SamBC
Mar 22 at 12:24
add a comment |
It simply means that the person wants it to be resolved, either in the present or near future.
answered Mar 22 at 6:10
Bella SwanBella Swan
85710
New contributor
Bella Swan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
It can also mean that they thought it had already been resolved, but are expressing doubt.
– SamBC
Mar 22 at 12:06
@SamBC the he would have used "should have been resolved"
– Bella Swan
Mar 22 at 12:16
That is not my experience. They are effectively using resolved as an adjective in such cases, not as a verb.
– SamBC
Mar 22 at 12:24
add a comment |
It simply means that the person wants it to be resolved, either in the present or near future.
answered Mar 22 at 6:10
Bella SwanBella Swan
85710
New contributor
Bella Swan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
It simply means that the person wants it to be resolved, either in the present or near future.
answered Mar 22 at 6:10
Bella SwanBella Swan
85710
New contributor
Bella Swan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered Mar 22 at 6:10
Bella SwanBella Swan
85710
New contributor
Bella Swan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered Mar 22 at 6:10
Bella SwanBella Swan
85710
answered Mar 22 at 6:10
Bella SwanBella Swan
85710
85710
New contributor
Bella Swan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Bella Swan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Bella Swan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
It can also mean that they thought it had already been resolved, but are expressing doubt.
– SamBC
Mar 22 at 12:06
@SamBC the he would have used "should have been resolved"
– Bella Swan
Mar 22 at 12:16
That is not my experience. They are effectively using resolved as an adjective in such cases, not as a verb.
– SamBC
Mar 22 at 12:24
add a comment |
It can also mean that they thought it had already been resolved, but are expressing doubt.
– SamBC
Mar 22 at 12:06
@SamBC the he would have used "should have been resolved"
– Bella Swan
Mar 22 at 12:16
That is not my experience. They are effectively using resolved as an adjective in such cases, not as a verb.
– SamBC
Mar 22 at 12:24
It can also mean that they thought it had already been resolved, but are expressing doubt.
– SamBC
Mar 22 at 12:06
It can also mean that they thought it had already been resolved, but are expressing doubt.
– SamBC
Mar 22 at 12:06
@SamBC the he would have used "should have been resolved"
– Bella Swan
Mar 22 at 12:16
@SamBC the he would have used "should have been resolved"
– Bella Swan
Mar 22 at 12:16
That is not my experience. They are effectively using resolved as an adjective in such cases, not as a verb.
– SamBC
Mar 22 at 12:24
That is not my experience. They are effectively using resolved as an adjective in such cases, not as a verb.
– SamBC
Mar 22 at 12:24
add a comment |
To mean:
past: ...this should have been resolved
present: ...this is being resolved
future: ...this should be resolved
answered Mar 22 at 6:26
Paul S. LeePaul S. Lee
101
New contributor
Paul S. Lee is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
To mean:
past: ...this should have been resolved
present: ...this is being resolved
future: ...this should be resolved
answered Mar 22 at 6:26
Paul S. LeePaul S. Lee
101
New contributor
Paul S. Lee is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
To mean:
past: ...this should have been resolved
present: ...this is being resolved
future: ...this should be resolved
answered Mar 22 at 6:26
Paul S. LeePaul S. Lee
101
New contributor
Paul S. Lee is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
To mean:
past: ...this should have been resolved
present: ...this is being resolved
future: ...this should be resolved
answered Mar 22 at 6:26
Paul S. LeePaul S. Lee
101
New contributor
Paul S. Lee is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered Mar 22 at 6:26
Paul S. LeePaul S. Lee
101
New contributor
Paul S. Lee is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered Mar 22 at 6:26
Paul S. LeePaul S. Lee
101
answered Mar 22 at 6:26
Paul S. LeePaul S. Lee
101
101
New contributor
Paul S. Lee is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Paul S. Lee is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Paul S. Lee is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
add a comment |
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5
It can mean all of those things. The sentence is ambiguous without any context.
– Jason Bassford
Mar 21 at 5:25