A man walks in and my friend tells me he's Japanese. I say: Why did you say he was

[B45]

A man walks in and my friend tells me he's Japanese. I say:

Why did you say he was Japanese?

VS

Why did you say he is Japanese?

Are both okay?

 

[Rover_KE]

Yes.

 

[B45]

What's the difference between both usages?

 

[bhaisahab]

There is no difference in perceived meaning.

 

[B45]

what do you mean by perceived meaning?

 

[Matthew Wai]

The meaning perceived by the person being addressed.

Not a teacher.

 

[Rover_KE]

If anybody thinks there's a difference, they'd have said so by now.

 

[Raymott]

Not necessarily so, Rover. The thread spans only 6-7 hours.

In fact, I think the appropriate immediate response is "Why do you say he is Japanese?". After a certain period of time "Why did you say ... [whatever]" would be more appropriate.

 

[Matthew Wai]

On another forum, someone found the present tense in the sentence below unacceptable.
'Yesterday, the mayor said that the government deems it necessary to carry out the project.'
Why is the simple present OK in the OP's sentence but not in this, while both are in reported speech?

Not a teacher.

 

[Raymott]

"Why is the simple present OK in the OP's sentence but not in this, while both are in reported speech?"
Because if he was Japanese, he is Japanese. That doesn't necessarily occur in all reported speech, so they are not analogous sentences.
('Deems' is not necessarily wrong in the imported sentence. As we often say, back shifting is (almost) always correct; but that doesn't imply that you have to do it.)

 

[Matthew Wai]

Because if he was Japanese, he is Japanese.

But 'is Chinese' was deemed unacceptable in the following. Why? A matter of opinion?
'He told me that his mother tongue is Chinese.'

Not a teacher.

 

[riquecohen]

But 'is Chinese' was deemed unacceptable in the following. Why? A matter of opinion?
'He told me that his mother tongue is Chinese.'

Not a teacher.

It was deemed unacceptable by whom? It's a situation/condition that is still true; backshifting is not necessary.

 

[Matthew Wai]

It was deemed unacceptable by whom?

By the respondent in this post http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=2900535&p=14664133#post14664133
He crossed out 'is' and 'deems', both of them referred to a situation/condition that is still true.

Not a teacher

 

[bhaisahab]

I disagree with that post.