Abstract
Abstract While semantic change is notoriously idiosyncratic, cross-linguistic evidence suggests some general trends in the directions and mechanisms of semantic shifts. Notable among these are trends applying to the target domain of the human body, a domain that has received considerable attention due to its universality. However, broad surveys of many languages risk missing significant details. Data from the Dictionnaire étymologique et cognitif des langues romanes (DECOLAR) on the etymologies of terms for 97 body parts in 14 Romance languages calls some proposed trends into question. In particular, counterexamples are found to a supposed unidirectional shift from visible parts to the wholes that include them. Analysis of individual changes reveals contextual factors that can cause a lexical trend to not apply. The findings contribute to a more complex model of metaphorization and metonymization, the primary processes involved in lexical semantic change.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
