Metaphoric self-awareness in reflexive constructions

Table of Contents

PART I: SELF-AWARE EVENTS AND REFLEXIVES

CHAPTER 1: A NEW BEGINNING

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Lexical and Grammatical Definitions

1.2.1 Find x-self

1.2.2 Lose x-self

1.2.3 Catch x-self

1.3 Grammatical Definitions

CHAPTER 2: VALENCY AND TRANSITIVITY

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Other-directed vs. non-other-directed events

2.3 Valency & Transitivity

2.3.1 Valency

2.3.1.1 Valency and SA event verbs

2.3.2 Prototypical Transitive Events

2.4 The Transitive Middle

2.5 Chapter Conclusion

CHAPTER 3: PART I CONCLUSIONS

3.1 Conclusions

PART II: COGNITIVE LINGUISTIC ANALYSES

CHAPTER 4: COGNITIVE LINGUISTICS AND SELF-AWARE REFLEXIVE METAPHORS

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Operational Definition of Self-Awareness

4.3 Definition and delineation of metaphor

4.4 Conceptual Metaphor

4.5 Schematicity and domains

4.6 Image Schema

4.7 Abstract Domains and Metaphor

4.8 Chapter Conclusion

CHAPTER 5: COGNITIVE GRAMMAR

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Cognitive Grammar

5.2.1 Cognitive Grammar and find/lose

5.2.2 CG and Reflexive FIND and LOSE

5.3 Subjectivity and SA events

5.4 The Divided Self and SA Events

5.5 Mapping of Metonymy and SA events

5.6 Conceptual Metaphor and SA events

5.7 Categorizing SA events: metonymy and metaphor

5.8 Chapter Conclusion

PART III: CORPUS LINGUISTICS AND SELF-AWARE EVENTS

CHAPTER 6: CORPUS LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Metaphor Identification Method

6.3 Corpus Research Method

6.4 Preliminary Corpus Analysis and Methodological Considerations

6.5 Results

6.6 Verbs of Self-Perception

CHAPTER 7: SELF-AWARE EVENTS AND FIND X-SELF

7.1. Find x-self

7.2. Subtleties in the Corpus Data

7.3. Results for [FIND X-SELF]

7.4. Results for [PRO + FIND + X-SELF]

7.4.1. Fuzzy construals within [p*][find][ppx*]

7.4.2. More about the FoA

7.5. Nouns as Antecedents: [n*][find][ppx*]

7.5.1. Nouns as Antecedents: sorted by ‘word’

7.5.2. Fuzzy construals for [n*][find][ppx*]

7.6. Discussion

CHAPTER 8: LOSE X-SELF

8.1. Introduction

8.2. Method

8.2.1. Complexities and Subtleties

8.3. Results: find and lose

8.4. [p*][lose][ppx*]: pronoun antecedents

8.4.1. Fuzzy construals with [p*][lose][ppx*]

8.5. [n*][lose][ppx*]: Nouns as antecedents for lose x-self

8.5.1. Fuzzy construals for [n*][lose][ppx*]

8.6. Compound Examples of Finding and Losing

CHAPTER 9: CATCH X-SELF

9.1. Introduction

9.2. Method

9.2.1. Categorization Results

9.2.2. Onset of Awareness

9.2.3. Causative-type force

9.3. Results

9.3.1. Results for [p*][catch][ppx*]

9.4. [n*][catch][ppx*]

9.5. Fuzzy and other examples

9.6. Compound FIND/CATCH x-self

9.7. Chapter Conclusion

CHAPTER 10: DISCUSSION

10.1. Introduction

10.2. Comparative analyses of SA verbs + x-self

10.3. find x-self and lose x-self; Opposites or Not?

10.4. perceive x-self

10.5. Other reflexive constructions

CHAPTER 11. CONCLUSION

Research Objectives and Themes

This work investigates the linguistic phenomenon of "Self-Aware" (SA) events in English, specifically looking at reflexive constructions featuring the verbs find, lose, and catch. The primary research question centers on how "Self-Awareness"—defined as a meta-perceptive state—is expressed and categorized through metaphorical reflexive constructions, and whether these constructions can be systematically delineated using Cognitive Linguistics and corpus-based methodology.

• The semantics of reflexive constructions and the concept of Self-Awareness.
• Application of Cognitive Grammar and Conceptual Metaphor Theory to SA events.
• Development of an objective, corpus-based identification method for metaphor.
• Empirical analysis of the frequency, collocations, and register-specific patterns of SA events.
• Evaluation of the "Divided Self" vs. "Self-Aware" metaphorical frameworks in linguistic usage.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

CHAPTER 1: A NEW BEGINNING: This chapter introduces the core concept of Self-Awareness in reflexive constructions and explores the linguistic challenges in defining verbs like find, lose, and catch.

CHAPTER 2: VALENCY AND TRANSITIVITY: An investigation into how semantic notions of valency and transitivity gradients clarify why speakers choose reflexive strategies for Self-Awareness.

CHAPTER 3: PART I CONCLUSIONS: A synthesis of the theoretical findings regarding the semantic subcategory of SA events.

CHAPTER 4: COGNITIVE LINGUISTICS AND SELF-AWARE REFLEXIVE METAPHORS: The chapter sets the cognitive linguistic framework, utilizing image schemas and domains to analyze Self-Awareness.

CHAPTER 5: COGNITIVE GRAMMAR: Explores how Cognitive Grammar models account for the subjective and metaphorical mappings involved in reflexive constructions.

CHAPTER 6: CORPUS LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS: Describes the methodology for identifying metaphors within a corpus and sets the stage for the empirical study.

CHAPTER 7: SELF-AWARE EVENTS AND FIND X-SELF: Provides a deep empirical analysis of find x-self, revealing high frequencies of "Self-Aware" and "Self-Aware Unexpected" event types.

CHAPTER 8: LOSE X-SELF: Compares the usage of lose x-self with find x-self, finding unique categorical distributions focused on the temporary loss of self-awareness.

CHAPTER 9: CATCH X-SELF: Examines catch x-self, focusing on the added semantic entailment of suddenness and internal interruption.

CHAPTER 10: DISCUSSION: Compares findings across all verbs, addresses the "opposites" debate between find and lose, and discusses the role of perceive x-self.

CHAPTER 11. CONCLUSION: Offers final reflections on the linguistic reality of SA events and outlines potential future avenues, including neurolinguistic research.

Keywords

Self-Awareness, Reflexive Constructions, Cognitive Linguistics, Corpus Linguistics, Conceptual Metaphor, Valency, Transitivity, Cognitive Grammar, Metonymy, Find x-self, Lose x-self, Catch x-self, Image Schema, Psychodynamics, Semantic Construal

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary focus of this linguistic research?

The work investigates "Self-Aware" (SA) events, where reflexive constructions with verbs like "find," "lose," or "catch" are used metaphorically to describe a state of meta-perceptive awareness rather than literal reflexive action.

What are the main thematic areas?

The research bridges cognitive linguistics and corpus-based analysis. It covers conceptual metaphor, the nature of selfhood in language, transitivity gradients, and the practical application of Metaphor Identification Procedures (MIP) on large-scale text data.

What is the central research question?

The study aims to determine how Self-Awareness is expressed through reflexive-metaphorical constructions and whether these events can be semantically delineated and categorized.

Which linguistic methods are employed?

The author uses a "quasi-corpus-driven" approach, integrating cognitive theories (Cognitive Grammar, Image Schemas) with statistical corpus analysis of the British National Corpus (BNC) and the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA).

What does the main body of the work cover?

The main sections categorize reflexive events into groups like "Self-Aware Events" (SA), "Self-Aware Unexpected Events" (SA-UE), "True-Self Metaphors" (TSM), and "Picture Noun Schemas" (PNS), supported by extensive corpus examples.

How are SA events characterized?

They are characterized by the emergence or loss of awareness of one's own perceptions, often using metonymic mappings where the whole person represents a specific mental state of awareness.

Does "find oneself" always mean the same thing?

No, the study demonstrates that "find oneself" is polysemous. It can refer to a sudden awareness of an internal state, an unexpected external situation, or a realization of a "True Self," depending on the context.

Why is the "Divided Self" metaphor insufficient for SA events?

The author argues that while the "Divided Self" covers psychodynamic scenarios, it fails to explain the majority of SA events, which are more accurately described as an emergent cognitive function rather than a struggle between two parts of the psyche.