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Perception Metaphors
Edited by Laura J. Speed, Carolyn O'Meara, Lila San Roque and Asifa Majid
[Converging Evidence in Language and Communication Research 19] 2019
► pp. 185–208

Chapter 10
Approaching perceptual qualities

The case of heavy

The paper examines the properties of heavy as a perceptual concept, based on evidence from 11 languages. We demonstrate that the semantics of this concept is heterogeneous; lexemes of this field can be used in situations of at least three types: Lifting, Shifting and Weighing. These situations are either lexicalised as separate words, or they converge in a single lexeme in various combinations following certain strategies. We also argue that different metaphorical extensions correspond to different situation types; this allows us to use analysis of metaphoric shifts as an additional instrument to establish the semantic structure of direct meanings.

Keywords: lexical typology, frame approach, qualities, heavy, metaphor, perception
Article outline
  • 1.Perceptual lexicon: The different facets
  • 2.The case of heavy
  • 3.Typological perspective: Principles of colexification
    • 3.1Strategy 1: Differential lexical marking
    • 3.2Strategy 2: Lifting and Shifting vs. Weighing
    • 3.3Strategy 3: Lifting and Weighing vs. Shifting
  • 4.Metaphorical extensions
    • 4.1Perceptual metaphor
    • 4.2“Canonical” metaphors
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Abbreviations
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 21 February 2019
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/celcr.19.10ryz
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