The conceptual metaphor is a phenomenon where one conceptual domain, the source domain, is cognitively mapped onto another, the target domain, which enables human conceptualization of otherwise less accessible, perceptually less salient domains. In English, FUTURE IS IN FRONT is a conceptual metaphor by means of which the observable source domain of “in front” is mapped onto the abstract target domain of “future”. Following the classical theory of conceptual metaphor (especially by Lakoff and Johnson), the metaphorical expressions of FUTURE IS IN FRONT and its submetaphors are given in this thesis. Evidence of its psychological reality is shown through research on the comprehension of novel metaphorical expressions based on this conceptual metaphor. Finally, the scope of relevance of this particular conceptual metaphor for the conceptualization of the future by native speakers of English is discussed––both for lexical items expressing the future as well as for the grammatical means of encoding it.
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