what is witnessed and non-witnessed event in the following research? what are the errors ?
As an example,Bulgarian foreign-language learners of English have been observed to mark the conceptual distinction between witnessed and non-witnessed events in English similarly to what they do in their native language but differently from what native English speakers and learners from most other language backgrounds do.In an empirical investigation of this phenomenon, Dragiev (2004) found thateight of his 28 Bulgarian participants used only simple past when referring in English to witnessed events (e.g., when I was a child, I used to play) and only per-fect constructions when referring to non-witnessed events (e.g., when my grand-pa had been in this age, he also had playing hide and seek, but I don’t think that he had played football).
what is witnessed and non-witnessed event in the above research? what are the errors ? pls provide detailed explanation to my questions. Thanks

Question

what is witnessed and non-witnessed event in the following research? what are the errors ?
As an example,Bulgarian foreign-language learners of English have been observed to mark the conceptual distinction between witnessed and non-witnessed events in English similarly to what they do in their native language but differently from what native English speakers and learners from most other language backgrounds do.In an empirical investigation of this phenomenon, Dragiev (2004) found thateight of his 28 Bulgarian participants used only simple past when referring in English to witnessed events (e.g., when I was a child, I used to play) and only per-fect constructions when referring to non-witnessed events (e.g., when my grand-pa had been in this age, he also had playing hide and seek, but I don’t think that he had played football). 
what is witnessed and non-witnessed event in the above research? what are the errors ? pls provide detailed explanation to my questions. Thanks

Answer

The text explains it for you.  You can deduce the meanings from the text.

1. witnessed events (e.g., when I was a child, I used to play) -- You were there.  You SAW it with your eyes.  You witnessed it.

2. non-witnessed events (e.g., when my grandpa WAS AT this age, he also PLAYED hide and seek, but I don’t think that he PLAYED football).  -- You were NOT there.  You did NOT see it with your eyes.  You did NOT witness it.  You may have HEARD about these things or been TOLD about these things.

Answers · 2

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