[Grammar] I have seen your daughter

[Checkmate]

John: Have you seen my daughter?

Me: Yes, I have seen your daughter.

If "seen" means "found". Is Present Perfect here used to describe the result of action which happened in past? What is the past action then?

 

[MikeNewYork]

"Seen" means "had eyes on". It does not usually mean "found".

 

[Checkmate]

"Seen" means "had eyes on". It does not usually mean "found".

So this is an experience.

"I have had eyes on your daughter".
(I saw the man's daughter) Past
(I have an experience of seeing the man's daughter) Present

 

[Raymott]

"I have had eyes on your daughter" means that you are attracted to her, and probably not the way you'd say this to a father.
The past action is having seen the daughter.
You can say, "Have you seen my daughter?" if you are looking for her. The appropriate answer (if the hearer has seen her) is something like "Yes, I saw her in the mall about 15 minutes ago."

 

[MikeNewYork]

I used 'had eyes on" to explain the word "seen", not to to suggest any attraction.

 

[Matthew Wai]

'I have seen your daughter. It was decades ago, when she was a baby.'

Is it possible?

 

[MikeNewYork]

Yes.

 

[Raymott]

'I have seen your daughter. It was decades ago, when she was a baby.'

Yes, it is. It's the basis for a joke (of the Leslie Nielsen [R.I.P.] type, based on ambiguity)
Father, frantically looking for his daughter: "Have you seen my daughter." (1st meaning)
Person B: Yes, I have thanks. <Walks away> (2nd meaning)