Expression: "I don't think 25 years ago they would ..."

[Tom]

Hi

Could you please tell me which of the following sentences is most natural and correct?

[Pamela]

Hi Tom,

I’d assume this option:

I don't think (that) 25 years ago they would have called him by this name..

[Haihao]

IMO, "I don't think 25 years ago they would call him by this name." is the best and more or less different in meaning from "I don't think (that) 25 years ago they would have called him by this name."

[Yankee]

Hi Tom

I'd go for the third sentence.
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_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Lost_Soul]

[Yankee]

Hi Alex

Theoretically, yes. That sentence would suggest to me that you are reminiscing about something that you know 'they' did habitually/repeatedly 25 years ago.
.
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Lost_Soul]

Hi, Amy

Thank you for your answer !
I understand that you looked down on sentence 1 because it does not have the same idea of reminiscing in it as my sentence, right ?
I mean, the speaker expressed his guess, but he/she was not reminiscing and that's why we should use would have been calling ?

[Yankee]

.
I'd say that's a good analysis, Alex. In addition, 'would do' is much more frequently used to talk about a future activity, so the use of 'would call' seems to conflict with '25 years ago' in Tom's first sentence.
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Haihao]

I think they have different meanings as:

1. I don't think 25 years ago they would call him by this name. = I think 25 years ago they wouldn't call him by this name. = They were not likely to call him by this name 25 years ago (although they could have called him by this name). Possibility (to call him by this name): 25%.

3. I don't think 25 years ago they would have been calling him by this name. = I think 25 years ago they wouldn't have been calling him by this name. = There was almost no reason for them to be calling him by this name 25 years ago (because he had a different name then). Possibility (to call him by this name): 0.01%.

All the best.

[Yankee]

[Haihao]

Why the need to use "could have called" in your explanation? Why didn't you write "could call"?

Just the same feeling as you have in your "1a. If it (i.e. today) were 25 years ago, I don't think they would call him by this name (now)." to add or emphasize a hypothetical sense for the past tense in correspondence with the setting. No special significance.

[Yankee]

I think we must be sailing on two completely different ships today, Haihao.
.
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Jctgf]

my vote goes for "I don't think 25 years ago they would have called him by this name."
"I don't think 25 years ago they were calling him by this name." is also possible?
just a student.

[Haihao]