The term "attitudinal past" refers to the use of the past tense to express a present attitude or perspective, often in a tentative or polite way. It's a pragmatic function of the past tense, where the speaker uses the past tense form not to indicate a past action, but to soften a statement, express a request more politely, or distance themselves from the statement. Here's a more detailed explanation: Politeness and Tentativeness: The attitudinal past can be used to make requests or ask questions more politely. For example, instead of saying "Do you want to see me now?", one might say "Did you want to see me now?". The past tense form "did want" softens the request, making it less direct and more tentative. Pragmatic Softening: The past tense can also be used to soften the force of a statement or opinion. This is a common strategy in communication to avoid being perceived as too direct or confrontational. Examples: "I wondered if you were free tomorrow" (rather than "I wonder if you are free tomorrow"). "I thought you might like to know" (rather than "I think you might like to know"). "I was hoping you could help me with this" (rather than "I hope you can help me with this"). -- 《神的珍宝》竹科工程师的心灵救星! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCZ00aXtEJU&t=32s --

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