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Chapter 17. Perception verbs in context

Perspectives from Kaluli (Bosavi) child-caregiver interaction
  • Lila San Roque and Bambi B. Schieffelin
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Perception Metaphors
This chapter is in the book Perception Metaphors

Abstract

Perceptual language is a rich site of polysemous meaning and pragmatic extension. In this chapter, we explore the question of how children learning a language come to grips with this complexity, focusing on basic perception verbs as used in child-caregiver interaction in the language Bosavi, spoken in Papua New Guinea. We discuss creative and routinised instances of perception verb use in these interactions, and comment on connections to recognised cross-linguistic patterns of polysemy. Finally, we suggest ways that Christian missionisation and literacy practices may have influenced shifting uses of the language of sight and audition in the Bosavi context.

Abstract

Perceptual language is a rich site of polysemous meaning and pragmatic extension. In this chapter, we explore the question of how children learning a language come to grips with this complexity, focusing on basic perception verbs as used in child-caregiver interaction in the language Bosavi, spoken in Papua New Guinea. We discuss creative and routinised instances of perception verb use in these interactions, and comment on connections to recognised cross-linguistic patterns of polysemy. Finally, we suggest ways that Christian missionisation and literacy practices may have influenced shifting uses of the language of sight and audition in the Bosavi context.

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.19.17san

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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