A Cognitive Approach To The Analysis Of The "V-ing" Form

Compared with other grammatical elements, the V-ing form is not heatedly discussed in English study. However, we can still find many researches towards understanding it in a better way. Traditionally, scholars and their studies focus mainly on the syntactic functions of the V-ing form. But problems can still be found there when language learners try to learn the deep implication of this linguistic construction. Therefore, we need a full understanding of the V-ing form and then provide a satisfactory answer to those problems. Looking through many previous studies concerning the V-ing form, the author of this paper do not think that they have given a clear explanation of the definition of the V-ing form. Most of them give analyses from its usage, and some of them from its construction.Based on the theoretical foundation, the prototype theory in cognitive linguistics, this thesis gives a considerable analysis to the V-ing form. Following the guideline of cognitive linguistics, this thesis makes a comparison between the V-ing form and the VERB, NOUN, ADJECTIVE categories respectively and then draws out their relationship. And this thesis argues that the function of the V-ing form can not merely been defined by its syntactic function. The V-ing form should be seen as a special group which owns its special semantic and cognitive characteristics. With the help of a figure made by the author, the author of this thesis holds the view that the V-ing form is a group of peripheral members of different grammatical categories, and gradually gets away from the prototypical members of those categories and it constitutes the continuum between different categories. Generally speaking, this thesis proves that it is easier and more effective to have a full understanding of the V-ing form if we follow the way of analysis by the prototype theory.