Does embodied simulation contain schematic motional imagery when it comes to action concepts?

Abstract

This study explores the reasons behind the high frequency of homonym words in languages, despite their lack of semantic relationships. Additionally, it survey how it does not contradict language optimality to have a significant amount of homonyms with no semantic relationship between them. The study is based on the Natural Theory of Language and Embodied Simulation Theory. Its goal is to illustrate the gap between linguistics and neurological studies. Moreover, its findings suggest that linguistics can pave the way for deeper neural studies. The study puts forward the hypothesis of Schematic Motional Imageries (SMI). Each SMI works as a framework for structuring different concepts with a single form. Each SMI contains a linguistic form and imagery, these present as generalizations of different conceptual mappings, based on special body movements. Once these SMI emerge in a language they are a frame to create both concrete and abstract concepts with identical or related linguistic forms. SMI provides findings in favor of the Neural Reuse Theory. Accordingly, it suggests that SMIs can interfere with neural activation of the motor cortex areas in task-based experiments. Finally, the presence of different SMIs in languages displays the role of social cognition and historical backgrounds of different societies, suggesting a similarity in distinctive aspects of common actions.