What you “mean” is not what I “mean”: Categorization of verbs by Germans and Koreans using the semantic differential

Abstract

Although there are different approaches to classifying verb categories, the approaches are often not consistent with the results of experimental studies investigating the neurocognitive reality of the categories. One proposal for addressing these inconsistencies is embodiment theory, which states that verbs can be categorized based on accompanying sensorimotor mental simulations. Despite numerous studies on this topic, it remains unclear whether verbs can actually be categorized by means of these sensorimotor simulations and whether these categories are crosslingual.In this study, verbs were examined using the semantic differential in 106 native German and Korean speakers. The aim was to determine with which semantic dimensions each verb can be described and whether verb subcategories can be defined.We were able to show that every verb has an individual semantic profile and that subcategories of verbs exist. For the German and Korean participants, most of the verb categories were comparable and therefore mostly crosslingual. However, there were also distinct subcategories of verbs which can probably be correlated with subtle cognitive and experience-based differences between the participating groups. We conclude from this research that it is problematic to use a single verb classification system for the German and Korean languages.