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Article published In:
Review of Cognitive Linguistics
Vol. 20:2 (2022) ► pp.438–475

The convergence and divergence of extension and intension on semantic change

Evidence from Chinese pò

| University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
ORCID logo | Beihang University

Despite the fact that semantic change studies have intensively argued that intensional readings develop from the literal reading as a whole, diachronic prototype semantics proposes that intensional readings arise from the extensional subsets of the literal reading. This study empirically explored this proposal by carrying out a corpus-based diachronic study. It is proved from the semantic change of Chinese pò that: (1) There exists a corresponding relationship between extensional usages and intensional readings of a lexical item. (2) Extension and intension both converge and diverge on semantic change. Their convergence lies in the fact that extensional usages give rise to intensional readings. Extensional usages, though nuanced, motivate the emergence and development of intensional readings. Their divergence is reflected in the independent development of extensional usages and intensional readings. The subsistence or dying out of extensional usages does not constrain the appearance or disappearance of intensional readings. (3) Semantic change involves three stages, namely the extensional stage, the intensional stage, and the grammaticalization stage. These three stages constitute an interweaving continuum in the process of semantic change.

Keywords: diachronic prototype semantics, extensional usages, intensional readings, semantic change
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Diachronic prototype semantics
  • 3.Research methodology
    • 3.1Data source and chronological stages
    • 3.2Data retrieval
    • 3.3Data annotation
      • Data annotation for extensional pò
      • Data annotation for intensional pò
    • 3.4Data analysis
  • 4.Extensional usages and intensional readings
    • 4.1Extensional usages of pò
    • 4.2Intensional readings of pò
  • 5.Semantic change of pò
    • 5.1Convergence of extension and intension
      • 5.1.1Semantic lineage of disruptive separation
      • 5.1.2Semantic lineage of impediment removal separation
      • 5.1.3Semantic lineage of new function separation
    • 5.2Divergence of extension and intension
    • 5.3Summary
  • 6.Conclusions and implications
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
Published online: 8 December 2022
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/rcl.00118.du
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