Does "ever" apply to the future, or only the past?
As we hear in every commercial (ever?)
Our best price, ever.
Your thoughts please. Putting aside advertising allowances, should "ever" here mean "all time: past present and future", or should this be interpreted as "yet" (past/present). In advertising terms we must infer the latter (otherwise they'll contradict themselves next time they need a promotion), but from a linguistics perspective: what is the correct interpretation here?
Your general question: can "ever" apply to future? Yes.
- This is the best price you will ever see.
- Don't ever do that again.
As for the standalone phrase "our best price ever": from a linguistics perspective, there is no single "correct" interpretation. The phrase is ambiguous, such that in different surrounding contexts it could be understood as meaning "for all time", or it could be understood as "up to now".
For a linguist interested in pragmatics, one might even note that the actual interpretation of the word "ever" (as well as "never") is often not the literal meaning of the word — it is used as a hyperbole with relative ease. "You aren't ever home when I call!"
"Ever" implies that this has never happened before, or will never again, similar to the phrase "at any time". Edit: Whether this is referring to the future or the past depends on context.
Alas, it's all too often used as a modifier to imply something is unique, which can result in confusion. (Think of the comic book guy on the Simpsons: "Best resurrection ever!", ad nauseum.)
I feel 'ever' refers to past, present and future, whereas, 'yet' only refers to 'up til now' - defining past and present only.