Glossary of Linguistic Terms

Event

Definition: 

An event is a kind of information in discourse that:

  • actually occurs,
  • is overt 
  • occurs at the now point on the time line
Discussion: 

A discourse hypothesis is that events and non-events are differentiated.

NonExamples: 
  • Negatives (Nothing is described as having occurred.)
  • Questions (Nothing is described as having occurred.)
  • Modal expressions (No claim is made in a modal expression that anything occurred.)
  • Expressions containing verbs in projected time (Nothing is described as having yet occurred.)
  • Expressions containg verbs (They are not overt. see, hear, feel, but expressions containing look, listen, touch can be events)
  • Flashbacks and previews (They don't occur at the now point of the narrative.)
Source: 

Glossary Hierarchy