In:Thinking Politically: Cognitive linguistic insights into political discourse
Edited by Anastasios Vogiatzis
[Figurative Thought and Language 22] 2027
► pp. 311–329
Chapter 13The mirage of time: praesens
propheticus in political speeches
A cognitive pragmatic approach
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Abstract
This contribution explores the cognitive and pragmatic facets of the use of the prophetic present
in Modern Greek politicians’ pre-electoral speeches. Praesens propheticus, a biblical feature, is a subtype of present tense
which, by a deictic temporal frame shifting may refer to non-actual, but anticipated future acts, as if they were
already performed. Its performative character renders it highly attractive for political discourse. The present tense,
a heavily polysemous category, as exploited by the speakers’ conceptual stance emerges as a cluster of types
characterized by a significant degree of gradience, both intra- and intercategorial, confirming the intriguing nature
of the cognitive conceptualization and personal deictic shifts of speakers that affect the linguistic expression of
time.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Present tense
- 3.Future tense
- 4.Present forms with future reference
- 5.Present tense forms with future reference in political speeches
- 6.Prophetic present
- 7.Pragmatic motivation
- 8.Categorial status
- 9.Conclusion
- Author queries
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