Abstract
A cognitive linguistic-based analysis of the Italian verb prendere
The aim of this paper is to investigate the multiple senses of the highly polysemous Italian verb prendere. The analysis will be carried out within the theoretical framework of Cognitive Linguistics. In accordance with these linguistic approaches, the array of distinct senses of this light-verb will be accounted for by showing how each sense can be seen as an extension of another sense and how these senses can be described on the basis of a proto-scene consisting in the concrete event of taking performed in the physical world.
Different senses can be described in terms of ‘profiling’, that is, some elements of the proto-scene can be foregrounded or backgrounded, giving rise to cognitively motivated metaphoric extensions deriving from the central meaning of the verb. The analysis aims also to organize the multiple senses of the verb into a coherent and well-structured radial network.
A proto-scene of the prototypical act of taking implies the idea of manipulation, force dynamic, possession and transfer of control. Hence, these concepts will be applied to the description of various metaphoric expressions of the verb under consideration.
The aim of this paper is to investigate the multiple senses of the highly polysemous Italian verb prendere. The analysis will be carried out within the theoretical framework of Cognitive Linguistics. In accordance with these linguistic approaches, the array of distinct senses of this light-verb will be accounted for by showing how each sense can be seen as an extension of another sense and how these senses can be described on the basis of a proto-scene consisting in the concrete event of taking performed in the physical world.
Different senses can be described in terms of ‘profiling’, that is, some elements of the proto-scene can be foregrounded or backgrounded, giving rise to cognitively motivated metaphoric extensions deriving from the central meaning of the verb. The analysis aims also to organize the multiple senses of the verb into a coherent and well-structured radial network.
A proto-scene of the prototypical act of taking implies the idea of manipulation, force dynamic, possession and transfer of control. Hence, these concepts will be applied to the description of various metaphoric expressions of the verb under consideration.
| Original language | Italian |
|---|---|
| Journal | Studi Italiani di Linguistica Teorica ed Applicata |
| Issue number | 1/2018 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| ISSN | 0390-6809 |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |
| MoE publication type | A1 Journal article-refereed |
Fields of Science
- 6121 Languages