Verbs of oscillatory motion per se in the Norwegian language: An attempt at classification

Abstract

The article is an initial attempt to identify, represent, and classify verbs of oscillatory motion in Norwegian. The mentioned verbs belong to the lexical-semantic group of motion verbs, but while preserving the integral feature of the semantic group (the physical movement of living beings and objects in space), they have their own characteristic features. Verbs denoting motion in which the object, while moving from the initial point to another, tends to return to it and generally remains within the confines of a more or less defined location, are grouped as verbs of oscillatory motion. The authors of studies conducted on the material of other languages divide this group into two subgroups: verbs of oscillatory motion per se (swaying) and verbs of vibrational motion. The second subgroup is beyond the scope of this article. The linguistic material is drawn from the online explanatory Norwegian dictionary [NAOB] and supplemented with data collected from contemporary mass media sources. As a result of the study, we identified and described 32 verbs of oscillatory motion. The results of this study can be used for further typological studies of Norwegian and other languages.