Cognitive Polysemic Network Of Kāi(开): A Scene-oriented Model

On the basis of cognitive concepts and conceptions like experiential realism, characterization, prototype theory, protoscene, metaphor, metonymy and cognitive models, this thesis has attempted to analyze the polysemic network of kāi(开) and to propose a different (from traditional) polysemic network construction model for content words: The Scene-oriented Model. The Model starts with the protoscene and, through human experiences common sense, exercises in the process of classification and categorization of the many meanings of a polysemic word. The open and inexhaustible cognitive model serves like the arrangement of bricks and other materials for the whole network of a building. These materials are connected by cognitive mechanisms such as metaphor and metonymy.The novelty of this model lies in its scene setting, together with the consideration of action facts and the form development of words. With the openness of cognitive models in use, this model can be used comprehensively.The poloysemic network of the kāi(开) has mainly seven cognitive models: the protypical CM1, hand-action CM2, solo-activity CM5, social-activity CM6, nature-phenomenal CM3, consequential CM4 and time-spatial CM7. In each CM, there are sub-CMs. CMs and sub-CMs work together to form the integrated open network through metaphor and metonymy. The relations between the CMs and sub-CMs are not"arbitrary"or"predictable"but"motivated"and"conventional".The analysis of kāi(开)'s polysemic network indicates that meaning extension is physically based on people's bodily experience, bridged by people's cognition and pushed forward by the development of society and technology. Various meanings of one form are developed by metaphorical and metonymical mapping both inter-models and intra-models. The openness and connectivity of CMs contribute to the construction of polysemic network. The prototypical meaning of verbs is closely linked with its protoscene.