Introduction
I.1. General introduction
The phenomenon “light” is without any doubt the most driving force of live itself : it provides energy to the photosynthsesis and influences the biological rhythm of any living creature on earth.
The nature and potential of light is one of the major topics of all “hard” sciences, such as biology, physics, chemistry and astronomy, and still, there has not been found any consensus about its actual consistency to be agreed upon yet.
But how does the concept LIGHT show up in human language? How do
human beings describe the perception of brightness and by which criteria do we distinguish? Do we use the concept metaphorically, and if, to which extent?
However, we will have to keep in mind, that the actual reference, this is perceiving light, is -in an anthropological way - much older than its linguistic expression.
Within this termpaper I will try to `throw light on´ this subject and to answer the following questions.
[...]
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
I.1. General introduction
I.2 Research questions in detail
II. Methodology
II.1 Data ressources
II.2 Methodology in detail
III. Results
III.1 Lexical analysis
III.1.1 Semantic features
III.1.2 German lexemes
III.1.3 English lexemes
III.1.4 Summary
III.2 Analysis of collocations
III.2.1 German collocations
III.2.1.1 Summary
III.2.2 English collocations
III.2.2.1 Summary
III.3 Final discussion
IV. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper aims to provide a comparative analysis of the semantic structure and communicational usage of light-referring verbs in both German and English. By examining these lexemes through qualitative analysis, the study seeks to uncover similarities and differences in how these languages conceptualize light, particularly regarding metaphorical extensions and collocational patterns.
- Semantic structure of light-referring verbs in German and English
- Qualitative analysis of lexemes and their semantic hierarchies
- Comparative study of metaphorical usage in different target domains
- Investigation of collocational patterns and their linguistic restrictions
- Cultural nuances in expressing emotional states through light-related verbs
Excerpt from the Book
1. Leuchten
a. ! ihre Augen leuchteten vor Freude (*Trauer)
b. ! sein Gesicht leuchtete vor Freude (*Ärger) auf
c. ! ein Problem durchleuchten
d. ! es leuchtet mir ein
e. eine Lichtquelle (*die Sonne) leuchtet
Neben der Bedeutung im eigentlichen Sinne (e), die sich allerdings mehr auf eine nicht näher bestimmmte, als auf die konkrete Vorstellung einer Lichtquelle bezieht, sind drei weitere Bedeutungen erkennbar:
• der Ausdruck von positiven Emotionen (a,b)
• das Analysieren von Problemen (c)
• das Verständnis, bzw. die Akzeptanz von Sachverhalten (d)
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: Presents the central focus on the linguistic representation of "light" and outlines the specific research questions regarding semantic structures.
II. Methodology: Details the selection of lexemes, the data sources used, and the qualitative analytical framework applied to the study.
III. Results: Provides a comprehensive lexical and collocational analysis, identifying semantic features and metaphorical applications in both languages.
IV. Bibliography: Lists the dictionaries, corpora, and scholarly works utilized to ground the linguistic analysis.
Keywords
Light-referring verbs, semantic structure, German lexemes, English lexemes, qualitative analysis, metaphors, collocations, semantic features, language comparison, linguistics, light perception, target domains, source domains, emotional expression, linguistic hierarchy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the comparative semantic analysis of verbs describing light in German and English, exploring how these languages use such verbs to categorize and metaphorically interpret the concept of light.
Which thematic fields are central to the study?
The study centers on lexical semantics, the metaphorical mapping of light onto target domains like emotions or cognitive processes, and the investigation of collocational patterns.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary goal is to determine the similarities and differences in the semantic structure and communicational use of light-related verbs across the two languages.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author employs a qualitative approach, utilizing binary semantic features to categorize lexemes into a matrix and analyzing word combinations from linguistic corpora and dictionaries.
What is covered in the main body?
The main body covers the identification of semantic features (e.g., Autonomy, Continuity, Intensity), the creation of semantic matrices for both languages, and a detailed collocational analysis of specific verbs like LEUCHTEN/SHINE and GLIMMERN/GLIMMER.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
The work is characterized by terms such as semantic structure, metaphorical usage, cross-linguistic analysis, and lexeme hierarchy.
How is the emotional state linked to light in these metaphors?
The study finds that the eyes act as a primary medium for metaphorical expressions, where the "light" emitted or reflected in the eyes is frequently used to project emotional states onto others.
Why does the author differentiate between "LEUCHTEN" and "SCHEINEN"?
The author distinguishes them because SCHEINEN is uniquely used to describe impressions of reality (e.g., "it seems to be"), whereas LEUCHTEN is more tied to literal light sources or positive emotional expressions.
- Citation du texte
- M.A. Daniel Daimler (Auteur), 2001, The semantic structure and use of light-referring verbs, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/3155
