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Book: Semantics

Chapter: 5. Conceptual structures

DOI: 10.1558/equinox.29001

Blurb:

Chapter 5 discuses the central roles in language assigned to conceptual structures,


namely knowledge representations which pertain to the organization of


conceptsin the human conceptualsystem.The chapterincludesthree sections.


Section 5.1 defines the conceptual system and highlights its role in reflecting


language. Section 2 enumerates forms of conceptual structure. Section 5.2.1


covers metaphor, whereby something is compared to something else which


has the same characteristics. Section 5.2.2 concerns metonymy, whereby


something is substituted by something else which is closely connected with


it. Section 5.2.3 pertains to image schemas, abstract patterns which derive


from our everyday interaction in the world and provide the basis for more


richly detailed lexical concepts. Section 5.2.4 relates to mental spaces,


knowledge patterns containing specific kinds of information and constructed


for interpretive purposes. Section 5.2.5 explains blending, whereby selected


elements from two mental spaces are incorporated in a third space, the blend.


In all the sections, I pursue three steps. First, I elaborate on the essence of


the conceptual structure. Second, I touch upon its properties. Third, I present


its patterns. For each conceptual structure, I devise exercises to validate its


application. Section 5.3 summarizes the main points of the chapter.

Chapter Contributors

  • Zeki Hamawand ([email protected] - book-auth-217) 'University of Kirkuk and University of Sulaimani'