Cognitive Approach To The Polysemy Network Of A And B Construction

A and B Construction in my study refers to an expression of two clauses connected by the English coordinator word and. As one of the most common expression in English language, the polysemy of A and B Construction has attracted many linguists'attention.Cognitive linguists have investigated polysemy from the perspective of reconceptualization and categorization. They hold that image schema is an important model of the formation of a category and meaning, and that transformation between different image schemas motivates polysemy. In recent years, the Prototype Theory and Image Schema Theory have been applied to the research of polysemy. However, the research upon the application of the Prototype Theory and Image Schema Theory to the field of A and B Construction is far from sufficient. Therefore, this study attempts to explore the motivation and semantic extension process of the polysemy network structure of A and B Construction with the Prototype Theory and Image Schema Theory within the framework of cognitive linguistics. To be more specific, the thesis will investigate the extension of A and B Construction from its core sense of juxtaposition to the periphery sense of contrast, transition, concession, cause-effect, condition and purpose.The analysis will adopt Lakoff's method in his study of the English preposition over. By analyzing the motivation for each schema, this thesis presents a systematic description of the polysemy network of A and B Construction, including the prototypical A and B Construction and its extended senses. The major findings of this study show that:i. The semantic extension of A and B Construction begins with the prototypical sense of juxtaposition. Then the semantic extension branches to two broad categories: atemporal relation and temporal relation. Atemporal relation includes comparison, succession and transition. Temporal relation extends to repetition, coincidence, sequence. Finally, sequence sense extends to several logical relations such as cause-effect, condition and purpose. In a word, the semantic extension of A and B Construction follows the sequential pattern from coordination relation, temporal and atemporal relation and then to logical relation;ii. The semantic extension of A and B Construction is motivated by the transformations of the image schemas: Figure/Ground; Point/Bounded extent; Part/Whole; By exchanging Figure and Ground, juxtaposition shifts into compassion sense. Succession and sequence sense extends by Point/Bound extended transformation, when the straight connection between two elements changes from a line to a point. The logical sense of cause-effect, condition and purpose belong to parts of sequence sense by sharing A happens before B.iii. The vagueness between the categories within or between the members of A and B Construction is a consequence of the differences of human cognation, especially the boundaries between juxtaposition and comparison, succession and cause-effect, transition and concession are fuzzy.This thesis claims that the Prototype Theory and Image Schema can provide very effective ways of explaining the polysemy network of A and B Construction, and that the semantic extension is motivated by schema transformations.