Abstract It is widely assumed that the frequency adverb always combined with the progressive aspect is typically used in negative evaluations expressing irritation, i.e., complaints. Adopting a cognitive-functional approach, I test this claim across six genres of Present Day English. Always progressives were coded according to their functions: Describe (neutral), Complain (negative), Lament (negative), or Praise (positive). Neutral, rather than negative, functions predominated in all genres, although negative functions outnumbered positive functions. I relate the former finding to the propensity of always progressives to act similarly to the simple aspect and the latter to a cognitive phenomenon called the negativity bias.

中文翻译：

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进步主义者的话语功能：超越抱怨

摘要普遍认为，频率副词通常与进行性方面相结合，通常用于表示发怒（即抱怨）的负面评价中。我采用一种认知功能的方法，对六种现代英语进行了测试。总是根据他们的功能对进步主义者进行编码：描述（中立），抱怨（消极），哀叹（消极）或称赞（积极）。在所有类型中，中性功能而非消极功能占主导地位，尽管消极功能胜过正功能。我将前一个发现与总是进步的人倾向于采取与简单方面相似的行为有关，而将后者与一种称为消极倾向的认知现象联系起来。