So I don't understand why you see the backshifting of wish to wished as playing an instrumental part here. In what way does backshifting wish to wished 'technically' alter the grounding of the time reference point?
I don't see
wish as backshifted in (b). If there is backshift in (b) -- and I think that is the real issue -- then it is
had been that is the backshifted form.
He said, "I am sick." --> He said that he was sick. (
Commentary: "Said" is not a backshifted form; "am" has backshifted to "was.")
He said, "I was sick." --> He said that he had been sick. (
Commentary: "Said" is not a backshifted form; "was" has backshifted to "had been.")
The difficulty with determining whether backshift is really happening in (b), as I see it, or in any other sentence in which
wished is the past-tense verb governing the complement clause is that
wish, even in the present tense, always brings into play past forms, or past-like subjunctive/irrealis forms.
What is clear is that when the past perfect is used in the complement clause of
wish in the present tense, the complement clause refers to a time before the present. What is not clear to me is whether the past perfect used after
wish in the past tense (
wished) must refer to a time prior to the time of
wished.
I still see the remoteness in sentence b) as between the present moment and that moment, and not between that moment and a previous moment, as you seem to be suggesting, if I understand you right.
I see the difference between
wish (present tense) and
wished (past tense) as the difference between the present moment and that earlier moment. I see
were after
wish as referring to the present, contemporaneous with
wish. I see
had been after
wish as referring to a time earlier than the present.
The problem is whether
had been after
wished must refer to a time earlier than
wished or whether it can refer to a time contemporaneous with
wished. If it can refer to a time contemporaneous with
wished, does that imply that it would be wrong to use
were for that time reference? Or could either be used?
Basically, is backshift meaningless after
wished?
Help me, Obi-Wan.