What is a domain? Dimensional structures versus meronomic relations

Peter Gärdenfors, Simone Löhndorf

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Within cognitive linguistics, the notion of domain is central. In the literature, the notion of domain has been interpreted in an all-encompassing way, which has led to conceptual confusion. The article proposes to distinguish between a more psychologically oriented description of domains based on dimensional structures, on the one hand; and meronomic relations, on the other. It is shown how Langacker's notion of a configurational domain can be analyzed as higher-level dimensional structures. An added benefit of the distinction between dimensional domains and meronomic relations is that it generates a natural account of the difference between metaphors and metonymies.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)437-456
JournalCognitive Linguistics
Volume24
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013

Bibliographical note

The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015.
The record was previously connected to the following departments: Cognitive Science (015001004), Linguistics and Phonetics (015010003)

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Comparative Language Studies and Linguistics
  • Educational Sciences

Free keywords

  • domain
  • dimension
  • meronomy
  • locational domain
  • configurational domain
  • feature analysis
  • integral dimensions
  • separable dimensions
  • metaphor
  • metonymy

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