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Article published In:
Constructions and Frames
Vol. 12:2 (2020) ► pp.272–314

Moving Time vs. Frame-relative motion

A frame-based account of the distinction between primary metaphor and fictive motion

| San José State University
There is an elaborate analogy between Moving Time (composed of primary metaphors; e.g. Christmas is approaching) and Frame-relative Fictive Motion (e.g. Your destination is approaching). It has been suggested that this analogy could be involved in the motivation of Moving Time. However, a semantic frame analysis that includes all stages of the motion event shows that this analogy could not be involved in the motivation of Moving Time. It is further argued that Moving Time and Frame-relative Fictive Motion are instances of different types of cognitive-semantic structure. Moving Time is a selective integration of concepts from frames that do not share elements with each other, whereas Frame-relative Fictive Motion presupposes a single semantic frame. For the purpose of distinguishing fictive motion from primary metaphor (e.g. Moving Time), Coextension-path and Pattern-path fictive motion are studied in addition to Frame-relative. These three types of fictive motion can be distinguished from primary metaphor because they involve the integration of concepts from frames that share specific structure, whereas primary metaphor involves frames that do not share specific structure.
In a preliminary classification of fictive motion as a type of metaphor, all three types of fictive motion discussed may be classified as resemblance-based metaphors. Coextension-path and Frame-relative fictive motion are also motivated by correlations in experience. These correlations, however, are different in kind from those that motivate primary metaphor.
Keywords: blending, conceptual metaphor, primary metaphor, image metaphor, resemblance-based metaphor, coextension-path, frame-relative, pattern-path, fictive motion, frames, conceptual integration
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Theoretical framework
    • 1.2Structure of the paper
  • 2.The analogy between Moving Time and Frame-relative fictive motion
    • 2.1Frames of reference
    • 2.2Aspects of the analogy
      • 2.2.1Ego’s phenomenal experience
      • 2.2.2Structure of the setting
      • 2.2.3Zero ground
      • 2.2.4Ego-moving counterparts
      • 2.2.5The reciprocal construction
    • 2.3Summary
  • 3.The disanalogy between ego-centered Moving Time and Frame-relative fictive motion
    • 3.1The contrast of arriving with approaching and passing
    • 3.2The contrasting frame structures of Frame-relative Fictive Motion and Moving Time
    • 3.3Summary
    • 3.4The frame-structure of traversing
    • 3.5The submappings of Moving Time
    • 3.6Preliminary conclusions
  • 4.The frame structure of Fictive Motion
    • 4.1Coextension-path fictive motion
      • 4.1.1Summary
    • 4.2Pattern-path fictive motion
    • 4.3Conclusions to Section 4
  • 5.Fictive motion as metaphor
    • 5.1Metaphor typology and the motivations of Pattern-path, Coextension-path, and Frame-relative fictive motion
      • 5.1.1The motivation of Pattern-path Fictive Motion
      • 5.1.2The motivation of Coextension-path Fictive Motion
      • 5.1.3The motivation of Frame-relative fictive motion
    • 5.2Directionality/reversibility of the mappings
    • 5.3Conclusions
  • 6.Conclusion: The Moving-Time vs Frame-relative contrast and the primary-metaphor vs fictive-motion contrast
    • 6.1Reasons for the partial analogy between Moving Time and Frame-relative Fictive Motion
    • 6.2The incompatibility between Moving Time and Frame-relative Fictive Motion
    • 6.3The distinction between primary metaphor and fictive motion, and the classification of fictive motion as metaphor
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 30 October 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/cf.00042.moo
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