FOUNDATIONS OF LINGUISTICS

Foundations of Linguistics

Foundations of Linguistics

Question # 1

Identify the image schemas underlying the following sentences:

a.There is some milk in the bottle.

b.He crawled across the room to the door.

c.She balanced him carefully on her shoulders.

d.Its large mass carried it over the edge.

e.On the far edge of the field.

f.He released the brake.

g.There is flour all over the table.

h.It broke into its component parts.

i.Be careful it doesn't topple over!

j.He lives across the road from me.

Answer # 1

The sentence has analogue representation of image schema and comprises of Path-Goal, [There is] some milk [in the bottle].

It has an analogue representation and its image schema includes Source-Goal representation, He crawled [across the room] [to the door].

The image schemas are found to be with Path-Goal, She balanced [him carefully] [On her shoulders].

The sentence has the multi modal and has the linguistic reflexes; “Its large mass carried it over the edge” Vs “Its large mass approved over the edge”.

Image schema comprises of multi modal, On the far edge of the field Vs “The field is distantly on edge”

It has the analogue representation of Goal He released [The brake].

It has multi modal and consists of linguistic reflexes “There is flour all over the table” Vs “The flour is on the table”.

Image schema has pre conceptual in origin “It broke into its component parts” “Into” is grounded in Conceptualisation of a container.

It is Source-Goal and it is internally complex [Be careful] [it does not topple over!]

This sentence is multi modal and it consists of subject transformation “He lives across the road from me.” Vs “He is living across the road from me”.

Question # 2

Whilst image schemas may arise out of sensory experiences gained from recurring physical interactions with the world, an important claim is that they can be metaphorically extended to help structure more abstract, subjective, concepts. Identify the image schemas underlying the following sentences:

a.Once he starts, you just can't stop him talking.

b.I am not thinking straight at the moment.

c.The debate is finely balanced.

d.You must stop writing now.

e.He has nearly got to the end of his thesis.

f.He is a stable sort of character.

g.I found her very attractive.

h.Let's kick this idea around for a while.

i.They are in trouble.

j.Things are going from bad to worse.

Answer # 2

Sentence has the linguistic meaning with modal verbs and compulsion schema; nobody can stop him, once he starts talking to you.

The physical necessity is derived from Compulsion schema “I am not thinking straight at the moment”

The debate is finely balanced—“This ensures the debate is well balanced”

The root meaning of “Must” in this sentence has the physical necessity that is derived from the compulsion schemas “You must stop writing now”.

He has nearly got to the end of his thesis—“He is at the end of his final thesis”.

He is a stable sort of character— the root meaning of “sort” (physical capability) is derived through the enablement schema.

I found her very attractive—“she attracts me towards her”, it has image schema with abstract and thoughts of physical attributions.

Let's kick this idea around for a while—“this idea will help ...