Non conventional usage of the past tense


Why is the past tense used in this verbs (which doesn't make sense to me at
least)

> 生きてい **た** …？違うな…死ねなかったのだよ…！
>
> 再生機能を持っ **た** このアーマーに押し込みおった

and the translation uses present tense

> Survive? That's easy... Because I can't die!
>
> And switched my body for this armor with the power to rejuvenate me

Does it make sense to use the past tense? or it's just how the character
talks?




Finally I found an explanation that possibly answers at least your original
question. This usage of "past tense" is called **発見の「た」** ( _ta_ for
discovery) or **ムードの「た」** (modal _ta_ ).

Most articles about this are written in Japanese, but here's an article
written in English: [Another Function of the Ta-form: Discovery and
Recall](https://www.wasabi-jpn.com/japanese-grammar/another-function-of-the-
ta-form-discovery-and-recall/)

In a nutshell, my understanding is that た/だ, typically after ある/いる/ない, can
sometimes express the nuance of "I've noticed ...", "I've just recalled ..."
or "(In spite of one's prevoius knowledge/belief,) the fact is...". It
actually refers to something _in the present_.

>   * へえ、君はフランス語が読め **た** んですね。  
>  Wow, you **can** read French! (although I have thought you can't)
>   * (after looking for a wallet for a while) あっ、財布、こんなところにあっ **た** のか！  
>  Oh! There it **is** , my wallet!
>   * そうでし **た** 、明日は休みでし **た** 。今思い出しました。  
>  Yeah, that **is** right, I **have** the day off tomorrow. I've just
> recalled that.
>   * (after trying to open a door) おっと、鍵がかかって **た** 。  
>  Oops, the door **is** locked.
>

As you can see, "fixing (or updating) one's previous knowledge/expectation"
seems to be the key here. So saying 「お前、生きていたのか!」 is okay because he has
believed the opponent in front of him is dead.

References (These are very long articles and I haven't read them all):

  * [定延利之 「た」発話をおこなう権利](http://www.cocopb.com/NichiNichi/journal_1/%E3%82%A8%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC/2010/5/5_%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%AA%9E%EF%BC%8F%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%AA%9E%E6%95%99%E8%82%B2%E7%A0%94%E7%A9%B6__1__2010_files/2010_1_sadanobu.pdf) (English title: Who Can Finish His/Her Sentence with TA in Japanese Communication?)
  * [日本語可能文における「発見のタ」と格標示](http://www.ipc.shimane-u.ac.jp/eigogaku/pdf_kobayashi/presentations/2009_danwa_hakken.pdf)

Related question:

  * [まだいたとはね meaning](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/30285/5010)
  * [Usage of plain i-adjectives or た form (悪かったｖ悪い、良かったｖいい etc）](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/21347/5010)




Finally I found an explanation that possibly answers at least your original
question. This usage of "past tense" is called **発見の「た」** ( _ta_ for
discovery) or **ムードの「た」** (modal _ta_ ).

Most articles about this are written in Japanese, but here's an article
written in English: [Another Function of the Ta-form: Discovery and
Recall](https://www.wasabi-jpn.com/japanese-grammar/another-function-of-the-
ta-form-discovery-and-recall/)

In a nutshell, my understanding is that た/だ, typically after ある/いる/ない, can
sometimes express the nuance of "I've noticed ...", "I've just recalled ..."
or "(In spite of one's prevoius knowledge/belief,) the fact is...". It
actually refers to something _in the present_.

>   * へえ、君はフランス語が読め **た** んですね。  
>  Wow, you **can** read French! (although I have thought you can't)
>   * (after looking for a wallet for a while) あっ、財布、こんなところにあっ **た** のか！  
>  Oh! There it **is** , my wallet!
>   * そうでし **た** 、明日は休みでし **た** 。今思い出しました。  
>  Yeah, that **is** right, I **have** the day off tomorrow. I've just
> recalled that.
>   * (after trying to open a door) おっと、鍵がかかって **た** 。  
>  Oops, the door **is** locked.
>

As you can see, "fixing (or updating) one's previous knowledge/expectation"
seems to be the key here. So saying 「お前、生きていたのか!」 is okay because he has
believed the opponent in front of him is dead.

References (These are very long articles and I haven't read them all):

  * [定延利之 「た」発話をおこなう権利](http://www.cocopb.com/NichiNichi/journal_1/%E3%82%A8%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC/2010/5/5_%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%AA%9E%EF%BC%8F%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%AA%9E%E6%95%99%E8%82%B2%E7%A0%94%E7%A9%B6__1__2010_files/2010_1_sadanobu.pdf) (English title: Who Can Finish His/Her Sentence with TA in Japanese Communication?)
  * [日本語可能文における「発見のタ」と格標示](http://www.ipc.shimane-u.ac.jp/eigogaku/pdf_kobayashi/presentations/2009_danwa_hakken.pdf)

Related question:

  * [まだいたとはね meaning](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/30285/5010)
  * [Usage of plain i-adjectives or た form (悪かったｖ悪い、良かったｖいい etc）](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/21347/5010)

