What is relative future tense?

Definition
	Relative future tense is a relative tense that refers to a time located after a contextually determined temporal reference point, regardless of the latter’s relation to the moment of utterance.

Example (English)

Passengers about to depart on Flight 26 proceeded to Gate 5.

Passengers about to depart on Flight 26 should proceed to Gate 5.

Passengers about to depart on Flight 26 will proceed to Gate 5.

The time of departure is, in each case, in the future relative to a temporal reference point. In these cases, the temporal point is likely that of the action expressed by the main verb phrase.

Source:

Comrie 1985b 60

Generic
	Relative future tense is a kind of
	What is relative tense?

Source
	Comrie 1985b 59–60

Context for this page:

Concept module: relative future tense
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): R
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004