Time Sequence

I was wondering how time the sequence theory works in the following. Which do you feel idiomatic as far as "apply" is used? You should use "applied" here, right?

[1] Our new teacher taught us that in business scenes it was rude to introduce senior workers first when meeting someone from outside. However, I left the class doubting if it "applies" to every situation.

[2] Our new teacher taught us that in business scenes it was rude to introduce senior workers first when meeting someone from outside. However, I left the class doubting if it "applied" to every situation.

How about if you change it to 'trusting ...'? Which would you prefer, or should you say 'is' or 'was'?

[3] Our new teacher taught us that in business scenes it was rude to introduce senior workers first when meeting someone from outside. I left the class trusting it is always true.

[4] Our new teacher taught us that in business scenes it was rude to introduce senior workers first when meeting someone from outside. I left the class trusting it was always true.

Thanks,

Sssamy

Forgot to quote 'is' and 'was.' They are the ones located before 'always' in the examples.

Thanks,

Sssamy

Maybe I'm just used to it, but I think it's more of an issue of logic than idiom. Since there's no reason to think that the statement was meant to be restricted to the time that it was said, the present tense should be used.

Contrast that to "In elementary school, my teacher said Russia was part of the USSR". In that case, the statement has "expired", and thus the past tense is appropriate.

Also, the word "scene" is rather odd in that context. "when meeting someone from outside" is somewhat redundant; one doesn't normally do introductions unless an outsider is involved. I'm unclear on why you're thinking about putting "trusting". It would be perfectly valid, but would have a completely different meaning. Your use of “if” rather than “whether” is technically incorrect, although most native speakers would consider this a nitpick. Finally, rather than “whether it”, you should say “whether that”.

My suggested rewriting: "Our new teacher taught us that in business situations it is rude to introduce senior workers first. However, I left the class doubting whether this always applies."

>>"In elementary school, my teacher said Russia was part of the USSR". In that case, the statement has "expired", and thus the past tense is appropriate.>>

Appropriate yes, but a clearer construction might be : "my teacher said Russia had been part of the USSR" or "my teacher said Russia used to be part of the USSR".

<Which do you feel idiomatic as far as "apply" is used?>

Both are idiomatic. "Is/applies" complies with the semantics; "was/applied" complies with "sequence of tenses".

Furthermore, it would not be unusual to see a combination of the two, i.e. "was/applies" or "is/applied".

<<Appropriate yes, but a clearer construction might be : "my teacher said Russia had been part of the USSR" or "my teacher said Russia used to be part of the USSR".>>

No, "my teacher said Russia had been part of the USSR" means that, at the time of the teacher's statement, Russia being part of the USSR was an event that had been completed and was no longer the case. I was discussing the situation in which, at the time of the teacher's statement, Russia being part of the USSR was an event that was still ongoing, but at the time of the reporting of the teacher's statement it was no longer the case; my wording would be appropriate in that case.

Aha, I see, the narrator is no longer in elementary school. Hence, the "expired" part. I was thinking the sense you were conveying was, "In elementary school [to-day], my teacher said Russia was ..."

Thanks, all, for your help. Would you please let me confirm a bit?

Another Guest:
<<Maybe I'm just used to it, but I think it's more of an issue of logic than idiom. Since there's no reason to think that the statement was meant to be restricted to the time that it was said, "the present tense should be used.">>

"..., the present tense should be used."
You are referring to the verb 'apply' and 'is' of 'trusting it is always true' right? Not 'was' of 'it was rude.' Or, are you looking at all the three?

Charlton:
<<Both are idiomatic. "Is/applies" complies with the semantics; "was/applied" complies with "sequence of tenses".>>
The 'is' or 'was' here --- it is the 'is' or 'was' of 'trusting it is (or, was) always true,' right?

Again, thank you very much.

Best regards,

Sssamy

No, I meant this "is/was":

<Our new teacher taught us that in business scenes it *was* rude >

You can say:

a) Our new teacher taught us that in business scenes it *was* rude to introduce senior workers first when meeting someone from outside. However, I left the class doubting if it *applies* to every situation.

b) Our new teacher taught us that in business scenes it *was* rude to introduce senior workers first when meeting someone from outside. However, I left the class doubting if it *applied* to every situation.

c) Our new teacher taught us that in business scenes it *is* rude to introduce senior workers first when meeting someone from outside. However, I left the class doubting if it *applies* to every situation.

d) Our new teacher taught us that in business scenes it *is* rude to introduce senior workers first when meeting someone from outside. However, I left the class doubting if it *applied* to every situation.

Version B is pure "sequence of tenses". Version C is pure "choose your tense by the meaning".