Could a verb or adjective in the past tense 〜た refer to something no longer true?


I found the following sentences on a website teaching people the order of
using the 助動詞.

>   * 彼は人に笑われる。
>   * 彼を人に笑われさせる。
>   * 彼を人に笑われさせたい。
>   * 彼を人に笑われさせたくない。
>   * 彼を人に笑われさせたくなかった。
>   * 彼を人に笑われさせたくなかっただろう。
>

I am wondering about the meaning of the second last sentence 彼を人に笑われさせたくなかった.

Should it be:

> I never wanted him to be laughed at by people.

Which might imply I still think so.

Or should it be:

> I used not to want him to be laughed at by people.

Which might imply I no longer think so.




Without additional context, Japanese is ambiguous on the distinction between
preterite and imperfect (which is what you're asking about, even if you don't
know the terminology).

