Temporal Structure on Discourse Level within the Controlled Information Packaging Theory

The temporal structure of events on the discourse level has long been of great interest in both theoretical and computational linguistics. In this paper, we offer a unified approach to the temporal relationships related to a hierarchical discourse structure. We apply the method of pronoun resolution to the interpretation of tense. It is based on an analysis within the framework of the controlled information packaging theory. A unique aspect of our account is that temporal interpretation across discourse segments in global discourse is subject to the same principles as the interpretation of global anaphora, and that there is thus no need to postulate independent principles to account for the discourse behaviour of tense. In this way, we can neatly explain the general view that tense parallels the anaphoric nature of pronouns.