Chapter published in:
Language Learning, Discourse and Cognition: Studies in the tradition of Andrea Tyler
Edited by Lucy Pickering and Vyvyan Evans
[Human Cognitive Processing 64] 2018
► pp. 159–190

Chapter 7
Conceptual vs. inter-lexical polysemy

An LCCM theory approach

In this chapter I consider two types of polysemy that have not received wide attention in the cognitive linguistics literature. First, I argue that polysemy can arise from the non-linguistic knowledge to which words facilitate access. This phenomenon I refer to as conceptual polysemy. I illustrate this with an analysis of the lexical item book. Moreover, polysemy also arises from different word forms, which, at least on first blush, appear to share a common semantic representation. This phenomenon I refer to as inter-lexical polysemy. I illustrate with a detailed case study involving an analysis of the prepositional forms in and on. I draw on the Theory of Lexical Concepts and Cognitive Models to account for these phenomena.

Keywords: polysemy, the Theory of Lexical Concepts and Cognitive Models
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Parametric vs. analogue concepts
  • 3.Towards an account of meaning construction
    • 3.1LCCM Theory
    • 3.2The cognitive model profile
  • 4.Conceptual polysemy
  • 5.Inter-lexical polysemy
    • 5.1‘State’ lexical concepts for in
      • [enclosure] and its parameters
      • ‘state’ lexical concepts for in
      • derivation of the ‘state’ lexical concepts
    • 5.2Lexical concepts for on
      • the [active state] lexical concept
    • 5.3Discussion
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 20 December 2018
https://doi.org/10.1075/hcp.64.08eva
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