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Figurative and non-figurative motion in the expression of result in English

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 December 2014

FRANCISCO RUIZ DE MENDOZA-IBÁÑEZ*
Affiliation:
University of La Rioja
ALBA LUZONDO-OYÓN*
Affiliation:
National Distance Education University (UNED)
*
*Addresses for correspondence: [email protected] and [email protected]
*Addresses for correspondence: [email protected] and [email protected]

Abstract

This paper investigates the role played by motion in the conceptualization of result in the English resultative and caused-motion constructions. We argue that there is a strong preference for the figurative use of caused motion to express a state change when the affected entity experiences a complete transformation. However, if the affected entity acquires a new property but retains its essence, an adjectival phrase is preferred. Another category encompasses figuratively exploited resultatives that formally employ the caused-motion construction, but semantically do not codify the same kind of change. The paper also discusses the motivating role of the metaphor A CHANGE OF STATE IS A CHANGE OF LOCATION to express result, and proposes the additional activity of other high-level metaphors and metonymies.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © UK Cognitive Linguistics Association 2014 

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