What's new

Question I hear a witness

Sorry. I'm not sure. If it was "I heard a witness", it might make sense, I guess.
 
I don't think present/past tense is the issue here.

The use of "hear" in "hear a witness" is a sort of specialized meaning of the phrase used in courts.

---

3.
a. To listen to (something) attentively or in an official capacity, as in a court: heard the last witness in the afternoon.
---

Normally (i.e. in everyday language), this isn't how "hear" is used. You "hear" sounds or audible things, not types of people. "I hear (or "I'm scheduled to hear") a witness this afternoon." or "I heard a witness yesterday." is something that a judge might say. Completely outside of this context, it sounds a bit confusing, jarring, or unnatural (as opposed to something like, say, "I listened to what the witness had to say.", which would be a more natural phrasing in everyday, non-specialized English.)
 
Oh, that makes sense. Thanks for the help, bentenmusume. I thought a Japanese made the sentence.
 
Back
Top Bottom