Linguistics, Vol. 10 No. 2, 2009.
Original scientific paper
Prefixes and prototypes: Contrasting the English verbal prefix un- and Bosnian raz-
Jasmina Hanić
; Faculty of Philosophy, University of Tuzla
Abstract
Prefixation is traditionally studied and regarded as the process of word formation.
However, in this paper we try to approach the issue of prefixation from a different
perspective. This paper describes the semantic structure of the verbal prefix UN- in
English and one of its Bosnian counterparts RAZ- within the theoretical and methodological
framework of cognitive linguistics. The first part of the paper gives a
brief theoretical account of relevant issues: categorization, prototype theory, and
polysemy. The second part of the paper presents the analysis of semantic structure
of the verbal prefix UN- in English and the verbal prefix RAZ- in Bosnian. In this
paper, we will try to provide a cognitively based account of the meanings of the
prefixes mentioned. The sub-meanings will also be given within a cognitive prototype
model together with the meaning extensions which are achieved through the
mechanisms of conceptual metaphor and metonymy.
Keywords
prefixes; English; Bosnian; prototype theory; category; polysemy; meaning; sub-meaning; meaning extensions; metaphor; metonymy
Hrčak ID:
45240
URI
Publication date:
16.12.2009.
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