If

> あの子どもは、それを口に **入れる** や、吐き出した

is correct, is

> あの子どもは、それを口に **入れた** や、吐き出した

also correct? If yes, has the meaning changed at all?
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2020-07-29T20:25:10.210
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2020-07-30T05:07:58.103
2020-07-29T22:17:16.343
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question
grammar meaning conjugations past
When a verb in the present expresses the past, is it CORRECT to conjugate it to the past and still nothing changes?
(Updated to fold in feedback from Chocolate in the comments.)

The や here ~~appears to be a shortening of~~ is equivalent to the や in the set
construction ～や否【いな】や ( _~ ya ina ya_ , "as soon as ~"). The single や means
roughly the same thing ("when ~, at the time of ~"). The や construction
grammatically requires that the preceding verb be in the 連体形【れんたいけい】 (
_rentaikei_ , "attributive form" used to modify a noun), which in modern
Japanese is identical to the so-called "plain form", "dictionary form", or
終止形【しゅうしけい】 ( _shūshikei_ , "terminal or conclusive form" used predicatively,
such as at the end of a sentence).

Consequently, your second sample sentence would not be considered correct
grammar.

When translating into English, we would indeed use the past tense form of the
verb, such as _" No sooner had that kid **put** it in his mouth, when he threw
up."_ or, _" That kid **stuck** it in his mouth and immediately puked."_, etc.

* * *

Please comment if the above does not address your question.
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2020-07-29T22:15:35.457
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answer