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Chapter 5. Metaphors and perception in the lexicon

A diachronic perspective
  • Francesca Strik-Lievers and Irene De Felice
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Perception Metaphors
This chapter is in the book Perception Metaphors

Abstract

Polysemy patterns in the sensory lexicon have been the subject of many studies, mostly synchronically oriented. This paper investigates whether the regularities observed for the intrafield and transfield polysemy of sensory lexemes can also be noted in the semantic changes that the lexemes undergo over time. Based on lexicographic resources, we analyse the sense(s) of Classical Latin sensory adjectives and “follow” them until Contemporary Italian. Our findings indicate that semantic shifts that occurred over time largely conform to the patterns that emerge from synchronic analyses: if some change in meaning occurs, the semantic shift tends to go from a “lower” to a “higher” sensory modality, or from perceptual to cognitive or abstract senses.

Abstract

Polysemy patterns in the sensory lexicon have been the subject of many studies, mostly synchronically oriented. This paper investigates whether the regularities observed for the intrafield and transfield polysemy of sensory lexemes can also be noted in the semantic changes that the lexemes undergo over time. Based on lexicographic resources, we analyse the sense(s) of Classical Latin sensory adjectives and “follow” them until Contemporary Italian. Our findings indicate that semantic shifts that occurred over time largely conform to the patterns that emerge from synchronic analyses: if some change in meaning occurs, the semantic shift tends to go from a “lower” to a “higher” sensory modality, or from perceptual to cognitive or abstract senses.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface vii
  4. Chapter 1. Perception metaphors 1
  5. Chapter 2. Words of sense 17
  6. Chapter 3. Perception metaphors in cognitive linguistics 43
  7. Chapter 4. Perception metaphor in English 65
  8. Chapter 5. Metaphors and perception in the lexicon 85
  9. Chapter 6. Synaesthetic metaphors are neither synaesthetic nor metaphorical 105
  10. Chapter 7. Sensory experiences, meaning and metaphor 127
  11. Chapter 8. Taste metaphors in Hieroglyphic Egyptian 145
  12. Chapter 9. Why do we understand music as moving? 165
  13. Chapter 10. Approaching perceptual qualities 185
  14. Chapter 11. Grounding mental metaphors in touch 209
  15. Chapter 12. Polysemy of the Estonian perception verb nägema ‘to see’ 231
  16. Chapter 13. Evidential vindication in next turn 253
  17. Chapter 14. Sensory perception metaphors in sign languages 275
  18. Chapter 15. Metaphors of perception in Japanese Sign Language 303
  19. Chapter 16. Perception and metaphor 327
  20. Chapter 17. Perception verbs in context 347
  21. List of metaphors 369
  22. Index 373
https://doi.org/10.1075/celcr.19.05str

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface vii
  4. Chapter 1. Perception metaphors 1
  5. Chapter 2. Words of sense 17
  6. Chapter 3. Perception metaphors in cognitive linguistics 43
  7. Chapter 4. Perception metaphor in English 65
  8. Chapter 5. Metaphors and perception in the lexicon 85
  9. Chapter 6. Synaesthetic metaphors are neither synaesthetic nor metaphorical 105
  10. Chapter 7. Sensory experiences, meaning and metaphor 127
  11. Chapter 8. Taste metaphors in Hieroglyphic Egyptian 145
  12. Chapter 9. Why do we understand music as moving? 165
  13. Chapter 10. Approaching perceptual qualities 185
  14. Chapter 11. Grounding mental metaphors in touch 209
  15. Chapter 12. Polysemy of the Estonian perception verb nägema ‘to see’ 231
  16. Chapter 13. Evidential vindication in next turn 253
  17. Chapter 14. Sensory perception metaphors in sign languages 275
  18. Chapter 15. Metaphors of perception in Japanese Sign Language 303
  19. Chapter 16. Perception and metaphor 327
  20. Chapter 17. Perception verbs in context 347
  21. List of metaphors 369
  22. Index 373
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