A Cognitive Approach To Future-Indicating Progressives

A lot of literature can be found about the studies of the English Progressive. However, only a few articles deal with the phenomenon that the English Progressive is used to indicate future. In fact, the future-indicating English Progressive is a very common phenomenon. This thesis attempts to explore the possible cognitive factors behind this linguistic phenomenon.Scholars at home and abroad have already made great contribution to the classification of English verbs. In this thesis, based on Vendler's classification of English verbs, different types of verbs in the future-indicating Progressive in different situations are discussed. This thesis views future-indicating English Progressives as a category. The status of the members in the category of the future-indicating English Progressive is unequal. There are different levels of membership. The be going to construction is the prototype, while the progressive forms of Achievement Verbs and Accomplishment Verbs in their indication of future are the marginal members in the category of the future-indicating Progressive.This thesis holds that language cognition is very complex, involving various factors. Achievement Verbs are usually used in the Progressive to indicate a future happening. This usage embodies the working of the conceptual metaphor of TIME IS PATH, and the concepts of prominence and bounding. Accomplishment Verbs used in the Progressive to indicate future are often together with an adverbial of time or in a certain context, but Activity Verbs only indicate an ongoing action. State Verbs normally cannot be used in the Progressive and when they occur in the Progressive under certain circumstances, they designate a dynamic process.