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What property of language enables people to talk about the future?

The property of language that enables people to talk about the future is displacement.

Here's why:

* Displacement refers to the ability to communicate about things that are not present in time or space. This means we can talk about things that haven't happened yet, like future events, or things that are far away, like distant galaxies.

Here are some examples of how displacement allows us to talk about the future:

* Making plans: "I'm going to the movies tomorrow."

* Expressing hopes and fears: "I hope it doesn't rain on my birthday."

* Discussing predictions: "The weather forecast says it will be sunny this weekend."

Without displacement, our language would be limited to discussing only what is happening in the present moment. We wouldn't be able to make plans, express hopes, or even think about the future in any meaningful way.

It's important to note that displacement is a complex feature of language, and there are other factors that contribute to our ability to talk about the future. However, displacement is the fundamental property that allows us to transcend the immediate present and communicate about things that are beyond our direct experience.

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