Abstract
This paper aims to explore the multi-faceted property pertaining to the verb jǐ 擠 in Mandarin as it manifests complex syntactic and semantic relations in the spatial domain. Previous studies on lexical semantics have dealt with verb classes on the basis of different syntactic behaviors and semantic frames (e.g., Fillmore and Atkins 1992, Levin 1993, Liu 2002a, Liu 2002b, Wu 2010, Chien 2011). However, the multi-faceted verbs have not yet been studied in a consistent way with adequate discussions. The paper probes into the diverse range of the multi-faceted verb jǐ 擠 and defines the interactions among the syntactically-relevant semantic relations in the underlying spatial domain. In terms of spatiality, which is one of the most fundamental human cognitive domains, a single verb jǐ 擠 may show multiple semantic relations and denote events of Motion, Spatial Configuration, Removing, and spatially-confined Body Contact. In these events, jǐ 擠 specifies varied but related spatial relations between the Agent and Goal, Theme and Location, Theme and Source, and Agent and Patient. The four distinct but related event types may be viewed as the results of semantic profiles on different aspects of the same cognitive base—the spatial relation between some entities and a confined location. The study proposes a core conceptual schema to capture the essence of the central concept of jǐ 擠, as the basis for sense extensions. For each event type it may evoke, a profiled schema is suggested to set clear scenario for defining the particular use. By providing the core schema of the verb’s spatial representation and realization of different profiled aspects, the multi-faceted verb exhibiting multiple semantic relations and collo-constructional characteristics can be well accounted for in a principled way. The study adopts a usage-based lexical-constructional approach showing how different event types may share the same cognitive background. It integrates the framework of Frame Semantics (Fillmore & Atkins 1992) with a constructional approach (Goldberg 1995) by identifying frame-specific participant roles with a further specification of the associated collo-constructional patterns. It also makes use of the mechanism of semantic profile (Langacker 1987, 1990) to explain the multiple semantic facets as lexically-based constructional profiling. Finally, the study shows that semantic frames can be characterized respectively with more rigid constructional definitions for the flexible and diverse uses of multi-faceted verbs.