once vs. one day vs. once upon a time vs. on the day (объективизация времени)

Дата публикации: Apr 01, 2015 12:4:56 PM

YN:

once upon a time - это идиома = сказочный зачин = рематический оборот Жили-были, т.е. вводит рему, после которого нужен оборот there was/were/lived/и т.п.

once - однажды (неопределенность = для динамических смысловых структур).

one day - однажды/как-то раз (большая определенность = для менее динамических смысловых структур).

on the day - В тот день (определенность = для статичных смысловых структур)

Povey: Once, One Day/Morning, etc.

Once usually means "on one occasion", in contrast to twice, three times, etc.

We done this exercise once. Why should I do it again?

We have conversation lessons once a week.

Sometimes the numerical aspect is less important, and once means simply "on a certain occasion in the past".

I once saw him waiting for a bus.

Once he came to see me, to ask my advice.

He came to see me once, to ask my advice.

I once went to the theatre with him.

I went to the theatre with him once.

In such cases, however, once is not the only possibility, and not always the best choice. One day/morning/'afternoon/'evening is often preferable. This applies particularly to the

beginning of a story.

One day John met an old friend of his on the way to work.

One evening, while we were having supper, the telephone rang.

Once in the morning/afternoon/evening is not usual, nor is once with days of the week. Here we use one Monday/Tuesday, etc.

One Sunday (morning) Philip went out into the garden to mow the lawn.

I saw her one Saturday (afternoon) in the-market.

Note. Once alone is occasionally used in the sense of "at some time in the past", without any numerical idea at all.

He once lived in London.

He once worked for m Post Office

There was once a market here.