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Chapter 14. Metaphorical walking

Russian idti as a generalized motion verb
  • Tore Nesset
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New Approaches to Slavic Verbs of Motion
This chapter is in the book New Approaches to Slavic Verbs of Motion

Abstract

This article explores the metaphorical use of Russian idti ‘walk’ as a generalized motion verb in collocations like poezd idet ‘(lit.) train walks’. The study seeks to explain why idti is used in such collocations, and why this usage is restricted to examples where a goal is prominent in the context (Rakhilina 2004). It is suggested that idti is used as a generalized motion verb in metaphors because it represents prototypical motion. In metaphor, it is natural to take prototypical motion as the starting point. Unidirectionality is dominant in metaphorical usage, and this explains why idti is restricted to goal-oriented contexts. The analysis involves the notions of prototype, anthropocentricity, embodiment and metaphor and lends support to a cognitive approach to linguistic categories.

Abstract

This article explores the metaphorical use of Russian idti ‘walk’ as a generalized motion verb in collocations like poezd idet ‘(lit.) train walks’. The study seeks to explain why idti is used in such collocations, and why this usage is restricted to examples where a goal is prominent in the context (Rakhilina 2004). It is suggested that idti is used as a generalized motion verb in metaphors because it represents prototypical motion. In metaphor, it is natural to take prototypical motion as the starting point. Unidirectionality is dominant in metaphorical usage, and this explains why idti is restricted to goal-oriented contexts. The analysis involves the notions of prototype, anthropocentricity, embodiment and metaphor and lends support to a cognitive approach to linguistic categories.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Contributors ix
  4. Introduction. Verbs of motion in Slavic languages 1
  5. Part I. Diachrony of motion expressions
  6. Chapter 1. Clause and text organization in early East Slavic with reference to motion and position expressions 15
  7. Chapter 2. Indeterminate motion verbs are denominal 47
  8. Chapter 3. Common Slavic “indeterminate” verbs of motion were really manner-of-motion verbs 67
  9. Chapter 4. PIE inheritance and word-formational innovation in Slavic motion verbs in -i- 111
  10. Part II. Synchronic approaches to aspect
  11. Chapter 5. Perfectives from indeterminate motion verbs in Russian 125
  12. Chapter 6. Aspects of motion 141
  13. Chapter 7. Verbs of motion under negation in Modern Russian 163
  14. Part III. Typological approach to the study of Slavic verbs of motion
  15. Chapter 8. Semantic composition of motion verbs in Russian and English 197
  16. Chapter 9. Motion events in Polish 225
  17. Chapter 10. The importance of being a prefix 247
  18. Chapter 11. Variation in the encoding of endpoints of motion in Russian 267
  19. Chapter 12. Verbs of rotation in Russian and Polish 291
  20. Chapter 13. Aquamotion verbs in Slavic and Germanic 315
  21. Chapter 14. Metaphorical walking 343
  22. Chapter 15. Russian verbs of motion 361
  23. Author index 383
  24. Language index 387
  25. Subject index 389
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.115.19nes

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Contributors ix
  4. Introduction. Verbs of motion in Slavic languages 1
  5. Part I. Diachrony of motion expressions
  6. Chapter 1. Clause and text organization in early East Slavic with reference to motion and position expressions 15
  7. Chapter 2. Indeterminate motion verbs are denominal 47
  8. Chapter 3. Common Slavic “indeterminate” verbs of motion were really manner-of-motion verbs 67
  9. Chapter 4. PIE inheritance and word-formational innovation in Slavic motion verbs in -i- 111
  10. Part II. Synchronic approaches to aspect
  11. Chapter 5. Perfectives from indeterminate motion verbs in Russian 125
  12. Chapter 6. Aspects of motion 141
  13. Chapter 7. Verbs of motion under negation in Modern Russian 163
  14. Part III. Typological approach to the study of Slavic verbs of motion
  15. Chapter 8. Semantic composition of motion verbs in Russian and English 197
  16. Chapter 9. Motion events in Polish 225
  17. Chapter 10. The importance of being a prefix 247
  18. Chapter 11. Variation in the encoding of endpoints of motion in Russian 267
  19. Chapter 12. Verbs of rotation in Russian and Polish 291
  20. Chapter 13. Aquamotion verbs in Slavic and Germanic 315
  21. Chapter 14. Metaphorical walking 343
  22. Chapter 15. Russian verbs of motion 361
  23. Author index 383
  24. Language index 387
  25. Subject index 389
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