Implied meanings of the Present Perfect
Deriving from the features and main uses of the present perfect, certain implications are associated with it, especially in BrE. These are recency, completion and resulting state.
Recency
The Present Perfect lends itself to a ‘hot news’ interpretation, which can be reinforced by just. In AmE the Past is used.
The Prime Minister has resigned.
He’s done it! (played the winning ball in a golf tournament) (sports commentary)
We’ve just eaten/had lunch (BrE) We just /already ate. (AmE)
Have you been up long? (BrE) You been up long? (AmE) (ellipsis of have)
No, I’ve just got up (BrE) No, I just got up.(AmE)
What on earth have you done to your hair? (BrE)
What on earth did you do to your hair?( AmE)
Completion
This is the pragmatic implication arising from the combination of the Perfect with processes having an end-point, as in grow up, tape something:
Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes, which have been burnt to rubble. (news)
His brothers have grown up and have left home.
You can listen to what you’ve taped. Oh yeah, you can play it back. [KCL]
Resulting state
Such situations with the Perfect are in many cases interpreted as having a visible result as in:
Their homes have been burnt to rubble.
You’ve squashed my shoe! (The shoe is in a squashed state) [KPO]
The result may be knowledge or know-how, as implied in He has learned to drive. These are all forms of current relevance.
