Prefixes of Spatiality in English: A Study in Cognitive Linguistics

Abstract

<p>The remit of this paper is to investigate the role of prefixes of spatiality in the formation of words. To do so, it adopts two approaches. Theoretically, it adopts Cognitive Semantics (CS) and tries to substantiate some of its tenets with reference to prefixation. One tenet is that linguistic items are meaningful. On this basis, it argues that prefixes of spatiality have a wide range of meanings that gather around a central sense. Another tenet is that the meaning of a linguistic item is best understood in terms of the domain in which it is embedded. On this basis, it argues that prefixes of spatiality form a set which highlights not only similarities but also differences. A further tenet is that the use of an expression is governed by the particular construal imposed on its content. On this basis, it argues that a derived word is used relative to the particular construal the speaker chooses to describe a situation. Empirically, it adopts Usage-based Linguistics, and tries to substantiate some of its prmises with reference to prefixation. One premise is that knowledge of language is derived from language use. Another premise is that the linguistic system is shaped by actual data. A further premise is that structure and substance are tightly linked.</p

The post-fact world in a post-truth era: the productivity and emergent meanings of the prefixpost-in contemporary English

“…Hamawand (2013), after Langacker (1987, 1991, 2008), claims that derivation is a combination of a stem and an affix which either modifies the conceptual content or yields different construal of a situation in near-synonymous constructions. The meaning of a derivative involves the particular construal the speaker imposes on its conceptual content.…”

“…Lehrer (1995) and Hamawand (2013) agree that although the prefix has both spatial and temporal uses, it is more productive as a prefix of time. Within the temporal sense, Hamawand also distinguishes a sense related to a ‘revised view of a theory’ and represents a network of related meanings, as shown in figure 1 (Hamawand 2013: 741, modified).

Figure 1.A network of the interrelated senses of the prefix post-

…”

“…What Hamawand (2013) labels as the spatial meaning is in fact a category of its own. It consists of a number of interrelated sub-meanings all of which pertain to the spatial domain, but form different image schemas.…”

“…Morphology is semantically motivated, and differences in morphological behaviour reflect differences in meaning. (Hamawand 2013: 737)…”

Word spacing

“…In the to-infinitive, the bidding is indirect and non-realised. The two devices of word choice and sentence structure are extensively covered in Hamawand (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2016). An example of punctuation marks is the sentence pair She is scared of two things: cats and dogs , and She is scared of two things – cats and dogs , which are not equivalent in meaning.…”