It's time you went home. It's so late!

[keannu]

Does a's past tense(went) have the meaning of regret like "you should have gone long before", but is it just hassling the listener with the regret nuance?
If it actually has the regret, then you will say "You should have gone home", so I think it doesn't really have any regret, but just to push the listener to do something. Am I right?

a)It's time you went home. It's so late!
b)It's time you go home or It's time to go home

 

[BobK]

Does a's past tense(went) have the meaning of regret like "you should have gone long before", but is it just hassling the listener with the regret nuance?
If it actually has the regret, then you will say "You should have gone home", so I think it doesn't really have any regret, but just to push the listener to do something. Am I right?

a)It's time you went home. It's so late!:tick:
b)It's time you go home :?: or It's time to go home:tick:

Maybe in Am English, which is more enamoured of the subjunctive than Br Eng, the first b expression would more unequivocally acceptable. In Br Eng it sounds rather hoity-toity: 'Look at me, using the subjunctive - clever, eh?'

In 'It's time [^] to go home' you could add 'for you' where I've marked.

b

 

[Mehrgan]

Maybe in Am English, which is more enamoured of the subjunctive than Br Eng, the first b expression would more unequivocally acceptable. In Br Eng it sounds rather hoity-toity: 'Look at me, using the subjunctive - clever, eh?'

In 'It's time [^] to go home' you could add 'for you' where I've marked.

b

Thanks!
I read in some book that when we add about before time, it even becomes more serious, as in, 'It's about time we talked to him!', meaning it's very late. Is it used in daily speech at all?


Cheers!

 

[bhaisahab]

Thanks!
I read in some book that when we add about before time, it even becomes more serious, as in, 'It's about time we talked to him!', meaning it's very late. Is it used in daily speech at all?


Cheers!

Yes, either to mean "it's very late", or to mean that a situation has reached a serious level that makes talking to him necessary.

 

[BobK]

:up: 'It's about time you did <whatever>' implies that the speaker thinks it's past the time when you should have done it. A teacher might say 'You've had three months to do this coursework, and it's due by the end of the month. It's about time you got started.'

If it's long past the time, the speaker may say 'It's high time...'. 'We've been telling him not to do that for years. It's high time he got the message.'

b

 

[keannu]

:up: 'It's about time you did <whatever>' implies that the speaker thinks it's past the time when you should have done it. A teacher might say 'You've had three months to do this coursework, and it's due by the end of the month. It's about time you got started.'

If it's long past the time, the speaker may say 'It's high time...'. 'We've been telling him not to do that for years. It's high time he got the message.'

b

Then, what's the difference between "You should have gone home" and "It's time you went home"?

 

[BobK]

Then, what's the difference between "You should have gone home" and "It's time you went home"?

y in the morning
Emphasis.

"You should have gone home" can imply It's late and you're still here. You shouldn't be. Why are you still here?

"It's time you went home" can imply It's getting really late. Don't you think
it'd be a good idea to go home? You'll work more productively in the morning.

But those aren't the only possible implications.

b



b

 

[BobK]

Then, what's the difference between "You should have gone home" and "It's time you went home"?

y in the morning
Emphasis.

"You should have gone home" can imply It's late and you're still here. You shouldn't be. Why are you still here?

"It's time you went home" can imply It's getting really late. Don't you think it'd be a good idea to go home? You'll work more productively in the morning.

But those aren't the only possible implications.

b

 

[keannu]

y in the morning
Emphasis.

"You should have gone home" can imply It's late and you're still here. You shouldn't be. Why are you still here?

"It's time you went home" can imply It's getting really late. Don't you think it'd be a good idea to go home? You'll work more productively in the morning.

But those aren't the only possible implications.

b

I still don't get it, You seem to be saying "should have gone" is regret over obligatory thing, and "It's time that..." is hassling over an advisable but not an obligatory thing. Could you make it clear again?

 

[BobK]

I still don't get it, You seem to be saying "should have gone" is regret over obligatory thing, and "It's time that..." is hassling over an advisable but not an obligatory thing. Could you make it clear again?

Regret over an obligatory thing not done, as in my last post, is one possibility, but 'should have <ppl>' can also just express a supposition or estimate: 'Let's go and meet her after the exam. She should have finished by now.'

And 'It's time that' can be used just as you say. Perhaps other teachers can shed further light on this...:?: ;-)

b

 

[5jj]

Perhaps other teachers can shed further light on this...b

I (think I) know what Bob is getting at, but I am not too confident about making it clear. I'll try.

"You should have gone home" = (very roughly!) there was a time in the past when your departure would have been appropriate and/or there was a time in the past when your departure had been ordered by somebody. You did not depart at that time, and I am now reminding you of it for a number of reasons, one of which may be that I wish you had departed and, therefore, I wish you were not here, so: go!

"It's time you went home" = (very roughly) For one of a number of reasons I think you should be heading for home, i.e. leaving here. It's not clear whether your departure is beneficial to you, me or somebody else, but it is certainly beneficial to somebody, so: please go.