The Polysemy and Hyponymy of Mandarin Spatial Prepositions and Localisers: Building Semantic Maps from the Ground up

Frontiers in Communication ◽

10.3389/fcomm.2021.724143 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

Author(s):

Francesco-Alessio Ursini ◽

Qi Rao ◽

Yue Sara Zhang

Keyword(s):

Spatial Relations ◽

Front Side ◽

Spatial Prepositions ◽

Semantic Maps ◽

Elicitation Study ◽

Location Type ◽

Specific Sense ◽

Novel Model

The goal of this paper is to offer an overview of polysemy patterns in Mandarin’s chief spatial categories: prepositions (e.g., zai) and simple and compound localisers (respectively, qian and qian-mian). The paper presents data from an elicitation study that shows how speakers can access multiple senses and hyponymy relations for the vocabulary items belonging to these categories. The paper shows that while prepositions can potentially cover different spatial relations in the opportune context (e.g., zai “at”), localisers select increasingly specific senses (e.g., qian “front” and qian-mian “front side”). The paper also shows how speakers can access hyponym-like sense relations emerging from these patterns (e.g., qian-bian covering a more specific sense than qian). Semantic dimensions such as “distance” and “location type” determine the strength of these hyponymy relations. The paper offers an account of these data based on the “semantics maps” model, which captures polysemy and hyponymy patterns via the clusters of locations they refer to. It is shown that this novel model is consistent with previous works on the polysemy of spatial categories and sheds light on how Mandarin offers a unique organisation of this domain.

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On the polysemy of Spanish spatial Ps

Borealis – An International Journal of Hispanic Linguistics ◽

10.7557/1.5.2.3633 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 253 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Francesco Ursini ◽

Adriano Giannella

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Linguistics ◽

Spatial Relations ◽

Distributed Morphology ◽

Parts Of Speech ◽

Spatial Prepositions ◽

The Core ◽

Logical Grammar ◽

Semantic Treatment ◽

Core Idea ◽

Specific Sense

The goal of this paper is to investigate the polysemy of Spanish spatial prepositions (a, en, hacia, among others), and offer a syntactic and semantic treatment of this phenomenon. The core idea behind this account is that these prepositions can denote sets of possible locations that are involved in spatial relations. Consequently, the compositional interaction of polysemous prepositions with other parts of speech can determine which specific sense emerges in a sentence. The analysis is couched in a Type-Logical Grammar approach. It addresses data that have not previously been analysed in the literature, involving so-called Boolean constructions (e.g. en la estación y la calle). Also, the paper shows that a single treatment can capture all the relevant data. Therefore, the analysis shows that polysemy is a grammar phenomenon that is better accounted for in architectures with a distinct syntactic/derivational component (e.g. Distributed Morphology), than in architectures lacking this component (e.g. Cognitive Linguistics approaches). Consequences for a theory of grammar are discussed.

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Whose side are they on?

Linguistics in the Netherlands ◽

10.1075/avt.34.05huk ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 34 ◽

pp. 63-76

Author(s):

Vera Hukker ◽

Petra Hendriks

Keyword(s):

Speech Acts ◽

Spatial Relations ◽

Spatial Prepositions ◽

Speaker Intentions ◽

Do So

Abstract Spatial prepositions express relations between objects in space. A subset of spatial prepositions is ambiguous due to the different perspectives from which these spatial relations can be considered. The ability to consider another person’s perspective is still developing in children. This study investigates how Dutch-speaking children (mean age 10) and adults interpret perspective-dependent spatial prepositions uttered by a speaker. We found that adults took the speaker’s perspective in a third of the cases, whereas children did so in a sixth of the cases. No differences in interpretation emerged between prepositions in assertions and requests, although these different speech acts reflect different speaker intentions. In general, children performed like adults, but less often took the speaker’s perspective with naast compared to voor and achter in assertions. We conclude that 10-year-olds can take another person’s perspective when interpreting spatial prepositions, but, like adults, only do so in a minority of cases.

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The category of space in the genre of essay (based on the essays Of V. M. Peskov)

Litera ◽

10.25136/2409-8698.2020.12.34678 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 159-167

Author(s):

Jiaojiao Cheng

Keyword(s):

Crucial Role ◽

Spatial Location ◽

Spatial Relations ◽

Local Dynamics ◽

Semantic Function ◽

Spatial Prepositions ◽

Objective Space ◽

The Subject ◽

Textual Approach ◽

Subjective Space

The subject of this research is the category of space – one of the intrinsic text categories that implies the meaning of location and spatial relations, and fulfills a plot-composing and semantic function. Essay is a peculiar genre, at the intersection documentary and fiction styles, which is an important factor affecting the analysis of the category of space. Examination of the category of space in essays is one of the relevant trends in linguistics. Essays of the prominent Soviet writer, photographer and journalist V. M. Peskov, which were recognized as the exemplary, serve as the material for this research. The categorical-textual approach towards studying V. M. Peskov's essays allowed determining the nuances of explication of the category of space in the genre of essay. Analysis of the specificity of the category of space in the genre of essay indicates the existence of objective and subjective space; namely the objective space holds the key place and plays a crucial role in text of the essay. In explication of the category of space are applied the direct spatial signifiers (spatial prepositions and toponyms), and indirect spatial signifiers. Texts of the essay simultaneously contain static and dynamic spaces: the author creates a static picture using existential verbs and statistical verbs of spatial location; the author describes local dynamics using the verbs of movement. The category of space is closely connected with the category of time and the category of theme; together they create a precise semantic division in accordance with the author's idea, as well help to give detailed description to the event and portray the character of the hero.

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Kilka uwag o rozwoju wtórnych przyimków przestrzennych

Studia z Filologii Polskiej i Słowiańskiej ◽

10.11649/sfps.2018.004 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 53 ◽

pp. 43-58

Author(s):

Aleksandra Janowska

Keyword(s):

Present Article ◽

Spatial Relations ◽

Historical Research ◽

Mutual Relationship ◽

Spatial Description ◽

Spatial Prepositions ◽

General Manner ◽

Slavonic Language ◽

Polish Language ◽

The Subject

Some remarks about the development of secondary spatial prepositionsThe literature devoted to spatial prepositions is quite abundant. The present article constitutes a recapitulation of the historical research which has heretofore been done on the subject. It is also an attempt at presenting the general characteristics of the evolution undergone by the class of units being described. This class is treated here in a broad manner, taking into account also equivalence. Spatial prepositions are the oldest layer of secondary forms and as far as many aspects are concerned, they constitute a very peculiar group. The attention of the scholar is drawn to lexemes such as blisko [close to, near] and the complex prepositions such as zza, poza, spoza [from behind, beyond, from beyond], which emerged quite late. Properties which are important for the evolution of the prepositions in question also include the considerable number of their variants. The direction of their evolution is quite clear also as far as their functions are concerned. The Polish language inherited from the Proto-Slavonic language precise distinctions of proximity, in contradistinction to the ablative content or expressions of considerable distances, which are indicated in a relatively general manner. The development of secondary prepositions emphasizes these properties of spatial description even further. As years went by, the disproportion between the indications of approaching and departing, of being near and being far away, did not diminish. On the contrary, it increased. The peculiarity of secondary prepositions is determined by their relationship with other classes of words that also describe spatial relations. Without doubt, this mutual relationship, which determines the evolution in spatial description, requires in-depth research. Kilka uwag o rozwoju wtórnych przyimków przestrzennychLiteratura poświęcona przyimkom przestrzennym jest dość bogata. Niniejszy artykuł stanowi podsumowanie dotychczasowych badań historycznych i jednocześnie próbę ogólnej charakterystyki ewolucji omawianej klasy jednostek. Klasa ta traktowana jest tu szeroko, również z uwzględnieniem ekwiwalencji. Przyimki przestrzenne stanowią najstarszą warstwę form wtórnych i tworzą grupę pod wieloma względami specyficzną. Zwracają uwagę leksemy typu blisko oraz dość późno utworzone przyimki złożone typu zza, poza, spoza. Do cech ważnych dla ewolucji omawianych przyimków zalicza się również znaczną wariantywność. Kierunek ich ewolucji jest dość wyrazisty także pod względem pełnionych funkcji. Polszczyzna odziedziczyła po prasłowiańszczyźnie szczegółowe wyróżnianie relacji bliskości w odróżnieniu od dość ogólnie wskazywanych treści ablatywnych czy określeń znacznych odległości. Rozwój przyimków wtórnych te cechy opisu przestrzennego jeszcze mocniej uwypukla. Dysproporcja między wskazaniem zbliżanie–oddalanie, blisko–daleko z biegiem lat nie zmniejsza się, a wręcz przeciwnie – rośnie. O swoistości przyimków wtórnych decyduje związek z wieloma innymi klasami wyrazów – wyznacznikami relacji przestrzennych. Ta wzajemna zależność, wyznaczająca ewolucję w opisie przestrzennym, niewątpliwie wymaga gruntownych badań.

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Dimensionality Expressed by Caseendings and Spatial Prepositions

Acta Agraria Debreceniensis ◽

10.34101/actaagrar/1/3528 ◽

2002 ◽

pp. 7-15

Author(s):

Géza Andrássy ◽

László Imre Komlósi

Keyword(s):

Native Speakers ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Spatial Relation ◽

Spatial Relations ◽

Two Dimensional ◽

Closed Set ◽

Spatial Prepositions ◽

Clear Cut ◽

Nominal Phrase ◽

Hungarian Case

The purpose of this essay is to investigate some of the uses of English prepositions and Hungarian case endings employed to express spatial relations. The observation of invariant mistakes Hungarian native speakers learning English make initiated the investigation. The questions raised are: (a) where do the two systems match and where do mismatches lie, (b) how do language users perceive the world, and (c) do speakers observe spatial relations as two-dimensional or three-dimensional cognitive models? Do different languages see the same thing as either three-dimensional, or two-dimensional?Abondolo (1988) gives an adequate morphological analysis of ten Hungarian case-endings (inessive, illative, elative, superessive, delative, sublative adessive, ablative, allative and terminative) used in spatial reference, which give a closed set in references made to factors, such as (1) location which can be broken down as interior vs. exterior location with the latter being further analysable as superficial and proximal, and (2) orientation which can be analysed as zero orientation (position), source and goal. In addition to those in this list, two other case endings (genetive/dative and locative) are also used for expressing spatial relations but the last is only a variant of the inessive and superessive case-endings and is only used with place-names. The set is closed in the sense that the same item is meant to refer to the same sort of spatial relation in every case. Language textbooks, c.f. Benkő (1972) seem to suggest a neat match between the above Hungarian case endings and their English prepositional counterparts, e.g. London-ban (inessive) = in London.The picture, however, is far from being so clear-cut. The data, which were taken from various dictionaries and textbooks, show that the choices of both the prepositions and the case endings listed above depend on how the speaker considers factors (1) and (2) and that proximity is very important. Instead of a one-to-one match between the prepositions and the case endings, we rather find that the above case endings will match a dual, and in some cases a tripartite system of prepositions with the correspondences found in the two languages, which yield the following chart: We suggest that languages may view or map the same physical entities in different ways, for example along surface vs. volume or goal vs. passage, etc.Furthermore, we also find it possible that it is the language specific, inherent coding of the nominal phrase that decides – in many cases – upon the choice of prepositions and case endings.

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PREPOSITION AS A MEANS TO REFLECT THE CATEGORY OF SPACE IN THE LANGUAGE (BASED ON SPANISH)

Theoretical and Applied Linguistics ◽

10.22250/2410-7190_2019_5_4_41_51 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 41-51

Author(s):

Sona A. Galstian ◽

Keyword(s):

Human Perception ◽

Spatial Relations ◽

Object Location ◽

Final Point ◽

Spatial Prepositions ◽

The Subject ◽

The Given ◽

The Relationship ◽

Objects Localization

The article explores the role of prepositions in expressing spatial relations in Spanish including physical and linguistic space relationship. The article presents the arguments in favour of the idea that the preposition is the main means to reflect the category of space in the language since the semantics of spatial prepositions contains information about objects localization: the Spanish prepositions are able to indicate the direction from the start point and to the given point, the final point of movement, the trajectory of movement as well as the object location. The article pays particular attention to the relationship between the use of spatial prepositions and the situation in which the subject is involved. Thus, the objects that exist in reality can be interpreted by a person in different ways. I argue that this fact plays a key role in choosing a preposition, in some cases a preposition with uncharacteristic semantics, to describe a particular situation. It was found that, in order to express the dynamic spatial relations, in some cases, due to the peculiarities of human perception of reality it is necessary to use a static spatial preposition, and vice versa, when transmitting the static spatial relations, sometimes the dynamic spatial prepositions are used...

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Improved preservation of the otolithic membranes

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100128857 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 45 ◽

pp. 914-915

Author(s):

G. M. Cohen ◽

J. S. Grasso ◽

M. L. Domeier ◽

P. T. Mangonon

Keyword(s):

Toluidine Blue ◽

Potassium Phosphate ◽

Vestibular Function ◽

Spatial Relations ◽

White Leghorn ◽

Supporting Cells ◽

Semithin Sections ◽

Micromechanical Models ◽

Soluble Components

Any explanation of vestibular micromechanics must include the roles of the otolithic and cupular membranes. However, micromechanical models of vestibular function have been hampered by unresolved questions about the microarchitectures of these membranes and their connections to stereocilia and supporting cells. Otolithic membranes are notoriously difficult to preserve because of severe shrinkage and loss of soluble components. We have empirically developed fixation procedures that reduce shrinkage artifacts and more accurately depict the spatial relations between the otolithic membranes and the ciliary bundles and supporting cells.We used White Leghorn chicks, ranging in age from newly hatched to one week. The inner ears were fixed for 3-24 h in 1.5-1.75% glutaraldehyde in 150 mM KCl, buffered with potassium phosphate, pH 7.3; when postfixed, it was for 30 min in 1% OsO4 alone or mixed with 1% K4Fe(CN)6. The otolithic organs (saccule, utricle, lagenar macula) were embedded in Araldite 502. Semithin sections (1 μ) were stained with toluidine blue.

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