Chapter 9. Neutral and specialized path coding
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Yo Matsumoto
Abstract
The purpose of this chapter is to present a new typology of path coding used in motion event descriptions in various languages. The crucial starting point for the new typology is how Path is expressed across different constructional types of motion event representations. The constructional types considered are Self-motion, Caused motion, and Emanation. The study suggests that path-coding devices can be divided into two major kinds: one kind with broad distributional potential across different constructional types of representations, and the other specialized for a particular constructional type of representation. Languages tend to have preferences toward adopting which kind of path-coding device is predominantly used. Languages that utilize the former can be called neutral path-coding languages, and those utilizing the latter, specialized path-coding languages. Path and Deixis coding in several languages are examined in these terms. Some patterns of intralinguistic and interlinguistic variations are also discussed.
Abstract
The purpose of this chapter is to present a new typology of path coding used in motion event descriptions in various languages. The crucial starting point for the new typology is how Path is expressed across different constructional types of motion event representations. The constructional types considered are Self-motion, Caused motion, and Emanation. The study suggests that path-coding devices can be divided into two major kinds: one kind with broad distributional potential across different constructional types of representations, and the other specialized for a particular constructional type of representation. Languages tend to have preferences toward adopting which kind of path-coding device is predominantly used. Languages that utilize the former can be called neutral path-coding languages, and those utilizing the latter, specialized path-coding languages. Path and Deixis coding in several languages are examined in these terms. Some patterns of intralinguistic and interlinguistic variations are also discussed.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Editors and contributors vii
- Preface vii
- Introduction. Motion event descriptions in broader perspective 1
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Part I. Path and Deixis in individual languages
- Chapter 1. Distinct coding of Deixis and Path in Kathmandu Newar 25
- Chapter 2. Patterns of deictic expressions in Hungarian motion event descriptions 41
- Chapter 3. Patterns of path encoding in German 63
- Chapter 4. Syntactic and semantic structures of Thai motion expressions 105
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Part II. Crosslinguistic and theoretical studies
- Chapter 5. A fine-grained analysis of manner salience 143
- Chapter 6. Attraction of attention in perceived motion events weighed against typology and cognitive cost 181
- Chapter 7. Should Talmy’s motion typology be expanded to visual motion? 205
- Chapter 8. Looking into visual motion expressions in Dutch, English, and French 235
- Chapter 9. Neutral and specialized path coding 281
- Subject index 319
- Name index 317
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Editors and contributors vii
- Preface vii
- Introduction. Motion event descriptions in broader perspective 1
-
Part I. Path and Deixis in individual languages
- Chapter 1. Distinct coding of Deixis and Path in Kathmandu Newar 25
- Chapter 2. Patterns of deictic expressions in Hungarian motion event descriptions 41
- Chapter 3. Patterns of path encoding in German 63
- Chapter 4. Syntactic and semantic structures of Thai motion expressions 105
-
Part II. Crosslinguistic and theoretical studies
- Chapter 5. A fine-grained analysis of manner salience 143
- Chapter 6. Attraction of attention in perceived motion events weighed against typology and cognitive cost 181
- Chapter 7. Should Talmy’s motion typology be expanded to visual motion? 205
- Chapter 8. Looking into visual motion expressions in Dutch, English, and French 235
- Chapter 9. Neutral and specialized path coding 281
- Subject index 319
- Name index 317
