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Chapter 5. Expressing emotions without emotional lexis

A crosslinguistic approach to the phraseology of the emotions in Spanish and English
  • Ruth Breeze and Manuel Casado-Velarde
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Emotion in Discourse
This chapter is in the book Emotion in Discourse

Abstract

Cross-linguistic studies of phraseology enable us to draw increasingly accurate maps of the specific ways different languages express emotions. This chapter focuses on the phraseology used to express emotions in Spanish, taking English as its point of comparison. We situate the topic within the broad perspective of the presence, absence and control of the emotions, centering exclusively on expressions consisting of non-emotional lexis. First, we investigate phrases indicating presence and absence of emotions in Spanish and English. Second, we examine emotional control and lack of control, finding different patterns in the use of the underlying container metaphor. Finally, we explore linguistic affordances for expressing uncomfortable but vague emotions. We conclude with some comparisons between Spanish and English phraseology.

Abstract

Cross-linguistic studies of phraseology enable us to draw increasingly accurate maps of the specific ways different languages express emotions. This chapter focuses on the phraseology used to express emotions in Spanish, taking English as its point of comparison. We situate the topic within the broad perspective of the presence, absence and control of the emotions, centering exclusively on expressions consisting of non-emotional lexis. First, we investigate phrases indicating presence and absence of emotions in Spanish and English. Second, we examine emotional control and lack of control, finding different patterns in the use of the underlying container metaphor. Finally, we explore linguistic affordances for expressing uncomfortable but vague emotions. We conclude with some comparisons between Spanish and English phraseology.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents vii
  3. Acknowledgements xi
  4. Introduction
  5. Chapter 1. Emotion processes in discourse 3
  6. Section I. Emotion, syntax and the lexicon
  7. Chapter 2. The multifunctionality of swear/taboo words in television series 29
  8. Chapter 3. The syntax of an emotional expletive in English 55
  9. Chapter 4. Interjections and emotions 87
  10. Chapter 5. Expressing emotions without emotional lexis 113
  11. Chapter 6. The value of left and right 139
  12. Section II. Pragmatics and emotion
  13. Chapter 7. A cognitive pragmatics of the phatic Internet 161
  14. Chapter 8. Humor and mirth 189
  15. Chapter 9. My anger was justified surely? 213
  16. Section III. Interdisciplinary studies
  17. Chapter 10. Emotion and language ‘at work’ 247
  18. Chapter 11. The effects of linguistic proficiency, Trait Emotional Intelligence and in-group advantage on emotion recognition by British and American English L1 users 279
  19. Chapter 12. Rethinking Martin & White’s affect taxonomy 301
  20. Section IV. Emotion in different discourse types
  21. Chapter 13. Victims, heroes and villains in newsbites 335
  22. Chapter 14. Promoemotional science? 357
  23. Name index 387
  24. Subject index 395
https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.302.05bre

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents vii
  3. Acknowledgements xi
  4. Introduction
  5. Chapter 1. Emotion processes in discourse 3
  6. Section I. Emotion, syntax and the lexicon
  7. Chapter 2. The multifunctionality of swear/taboo words in television series 29
  8. Chapter 3. The syntax of an emotional expletive in English 55
  9. Chapter 4. Interjections and emotions 87
  10. Chapter 5. Expressing emotions without emotional lexis 113
  11. Chapter 6. The value of left and right 139
  12. Section II. Pragmatics and emotion
  13. Chapter 7. A cognitive pragmatics of the phatic Internet 161
  14. Chapter 8. Humor and mirth 189
  15. Chapter 9. My anger was justified surely? 213
  16. Section III. Interdisciplinary studies
  17. Chapter 10. Emotion and language ‘at work’ 247
  18. Chapter 11. The effects of linguistic proficiency, Trait Emotional Intelligence and in-group advantage on emotion recognition by British and American English L1 users 279
  19. Chapter 12. Rethinking Martin & White’s affect taxonomy 301
  20. Section IV. Emotion in different discourse types
  21. Chapter 13. Victims, heroes and villains in newsbites 335
  22. Chapter 14. Promoemotional science? 357
  23. Name index 387
  24. Subject index 395
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