Progressive Aspect in Bala-Geriveh Lori

This paper attempts to investigate the progressive aspect in Bala-Geriveh Lori /løri/ based on Cognitive Grammar Approach (Langacker, 1982). In this dialect, the auxiliary hɑ, derived from hɑse ‘to want’, is used for making present progressive while past progressive is made by the morpheme he. Hence, this paper investigates why the use of the verb hɑse as an auxiliary is limited. For doing this research, 820 sentences were collected from villages around Khorramabad. Then the data was analysed using a descriptive-analytical method based on Cognitive Grammar (Langacker, 1982). The data demonstrated that each morpheme has specific functions because hɑ assigns progression to the action, whereas he is used for the duration or repetition of an action. Meanwhile, both morphemes are used for making imperfective processes. Unacceptance of negation, acceptability of making present perfect progressive out of stative predicates, and simultaneous use of both morphemes in a sentence are among their important idiosyncratic features.