Monday, May 1, 2017

colloquial language - Question about using the past form verb 「まっ た」 in this sentence


It is a situation that a boxing fight will begin very soon. Suddenly, a trainer of a boxer thought that his man could be knocked out very easily. He then said the following sentence. Anyway, the trainer is a middle aged man.




まってくれっ ゴングをならすのはまったあっ



I would like to know why the past form is used even though the gong has not yet been rung.



Answer



The past tense form 待っ (ie, the auxiliary た in 待った) in your example indicates urgent request/command (要求・命令). 明鏡国語辞典 states:



た 〘助動詞〙
➍ 《終止形で》差し迫った要求・命令を表す。「さあ、帰っ、帰っ。」「おっと待っ



So your sentence 「ゴングをならすのはまったあっ」 practically means the same thing as 「ゴングを鳴らすのは待て」 or 「ゴングを鳴らすのは待ってくれ」.



For more detail on this usage of た, please refer to these threads:
Difference between ちょっと待って and ちょっと待った
Usage of doubled non-past tense "た"


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