The Expression of Tense, Aspect, Modality and Evidentiality in Albert Camus’s L'Étranger and Its Translations / L'Étranger de Camus et ses traductions : questions de temps, d'aspect, de modalité et d'évidentialité (TAME)

Abstract

In Camus's novel L'Étranger, the almost systematic use of the passé composé (PC) may cause, in temporal subordinate clauses, an aspectuo-temporal conflict. This conflict, which had already been identified in the 18th century, occurs when the PC in the subordinate clause is forced, for narrative reasons, to refer to the past resultative phase of a situation. Grammarians usually propose to solve this problem of wording by substituting a passé surcomposé (PSC) for the PC. This article presents a detailed analysis of the various dimensions of this problem. It shows that its perception as a problem of wording may sometimes result in an inappropriate choice of tense (passé antérieur, for example). A hypothesis is formulated whereby this aspectual conflict is resolved by an extension of the lexical meaning of the verb in the subordinate clause, which entails the absorption of the resultative phase. The article concludes by assuming that some PC in Camus's novel contribute to induce an experience of the absurd for the reader.