Past Perfect vs Simple Past in this case
I wrote the following sentence
Es el segundo escritor de esta region que ganó el premio Nobel de literatura pero los dos son muy diferentes.
I was corrected by a teacher that it should be "ha ganado" instead of "ganó".
Generally I go for perfect if the event took place more than a day ago, and indicative if it took place very recently (as in today or in an ongoing period like "este siglo")
The event i am describing here took place a few months ago, and though that is not specified in the sentence, the sentence does suggest the event took place some time ago.
In this case, why is the perfect tense used instead of the indicative?
4 Answers
The event i am describing here took place a few months ago, and though that is not specified in the sentence,
The present perfect is recommended here precisely because it is not specified in the sentence; it is just mentioned because it is relevant now even though it happened in the past. However, the present tense is showing signs of slowly being displaced by the preterite, so don't be surprised if to some native speakers the preterite is perfectly acceptable here.
Generally I go for perfect if the event took place more than a day ago, and indicative if it took place very recently (as in today or in an ongoing period like "este siglo")
"Este siglo" can easily be 99 years ago. Present perfect is used when it is connected to the present moment or it is relevant now, regardless of how long ago it happened. Preterite lacks this connection with the present moment for speakers who clearly differentiate between the two tenses (see my warning above).
"La tierra se ha enfriado en los últimos 100000 años is not something recent, but it is connected with the present, for we are looking at the present situation of the Earth.
**Ha ganado is correct rather than ganó because the pretirite perfect is used to express an action which stretch from the past to the present In many cases it is clear that the action started in the past and is still going on
eg Siempre ha sido un soñador = He has always been a dreamer
In other cases the action has finished but its relation with the present depends upon the speaker's perception of the present eg
Me he comprado un coche nuevo = I have bought a new car
In this example the action has finished but the speaker situates it in a 'present time framework' since the effect of the action is ongoing.
In your example:
Es el segundo escritor de esta region que ''ha ganado'' el premio Nobel de literatura pero los dos son muy diferentes.
''The event i am describing here took place a few months ago, and though that is not specified in the sentence, the sentence does suggest the event took place some time ago''
It refers to the second person who has won the Nobel prize for Literature and so I believe this example is similar to the second example above where the speaker situates it in a present tiem framework since the effect of the action is ongoing. In practice a person wins a prize such as this for a whole year and receves the honour until a new person is awarded it the following year this sense the effect of teh action is ongoing.
I hope this helps 
Hitchens, I can't give a reason, but I would use "ha ganado" in Spanish or "has won" in English for that application.
"This is the second writer from this area that has won..." sounds better to me. The only reason I can suggest is that this statement does not reflect an event that had a definite ending, but addresses an event that may be in a current (accrual) condition.
I agree with your teacher, but that may be a very poor reason. You have a good question.
I would certainly use the present perfect in English, and probably in Spanish for that reason, but most people here in South America would probably use the preterite.
