A Study on the Mental Space of Subjunctive Mood

Cognitive linguistics offers a novel approach to studying and elucidating language phenomena, with the theory of mental spaces being particularly adept at interpreting many “non-canonical” linguistic occurrences and providing a fresh cognitive framework. The subjunctive mood, one of the three primary moods in English, is integral to English grammar. Yet, it remains a contentious topic within the field, with a lack of consensus among different linguistic schools regarding this significant grammatical category. The substantial role of human cognition in the construction and interpretation of the subjunctive mood’s meaning has been infrequently explored. This paper, from a cognitive perspective, employs the theory of mental spaces to discuss the English subjunctive mood, addressing the questions of its theoretical foundation, the reasons for its use, and the methods of its application.