Cognitive Semantics, Linguistic Typology and Grammatical Polysemy: âPossessionâ and the English Genitive
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This paper explores the cognitive semantics of the typological category âpossessionâ using the Natural Semantic Metalanguage (nsm) approach. At the macro level, we argue that âpossessionâ is not a unitary cognitive category for speakers, but instead represents an aggregation of diverse semantic schemas which center around three distinct conceptual anchor points: ownership, body-parts, and kinship relations. It is shown how each of these conceptual anchor points can be clearly identified using the nsm metalanguage of semantic primes and molecules. At the micro level, the paper undertakes a close examination of the cognitive semantics of English s-genitives in the frame [THIS SOMEONEâS] SOMETHING, e.g. Maryâs ring, Maryâs shoes, Maryâs drawing, Maryâs plate, Maryâs train. It is argued that the wide range of use of the s-genitive can be captured in a set of five semantic schemas, which constitute a network of grammatical polysemy.
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Cognitive Semantics, Linguistic Typology and Grammatical Polysemy: âPossessionâ and the English Genitive
In: Cognitive SemanticsSearch for other papers by Cliff Goddard in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Anna Wierzbicka in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
This paper explores the cognitive semantics of the typological category âpossessionâ using the Natural Semantic Metalanguage (nsm) approach. At the macro level, we argue that âpossessionâ is not a unitary cognitive category for speakers, but instead represents an aggregation of diverse semantic schemas which center around three distinct conceptual anchor points: ownership, body-parts, and kinship relations. It is shown how each of these conceptual anchor points can be clearly identified using the nsm metalanguage of semantic primes and molecules. At the micro level, the paper undertakes a close examination of the cognitive semantics of English s-genitives in the frame [THIS SOMEONEâS] SOMETHING, e.g. Maryâs ring, Maryâs shoes, Maryâs drawing, Maryâs plate, Maryâs train. It is argued that the wide range of use of the s-genitive can be captured in a set of five semantic schemas, which constitute a network of grammatical polysemy.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1656 | 181 | 20 |
| Full Text Views | 160 | 8 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 222 | 14 | 0 |
