Semantic Concepts Research Articles

On the Integrated Descriptions of Metaphorical Sememes of Verbs

Cognitive metaphor is an important way and mechanism of semantic derivation of verbs, the resulting large number of verbal metaphorical sememes has different expressions in their semantic features, formal syntax, communicative structure and even modality and pragmatics. This paper thoroughly and carefully discusses the problem of semantic change of verbal metaphor in terms of the integrated description method of the Moscow Semantic School. Thus, we will create a unique and innovative framework and theoretical model of generalized formal feature analysis, we will also try to introduce formal semantic description and micro-level semantic interpretation into the analysis system of semantic change of the verbal metaphor. Furthermore, we will describe in detail and characterize a number of changes caused by metaphorical semantic change of Russian verbs from the perspective of multi-dimensional integration. This study breaks down the barriers between semantics, cognition, pragmatics and grammar and the traditional analysis pattern of semantic derivation which contributes to significant broadening of the theoretical semantic vision and deepening of the research of cognitive semantics problems of verbal metaphor. It also helps explore innovative analytical methods and strategies for the study of Russian lexical and syntactic semantics.

Embodiment of sleep-related words: Evidence from event-related potentials.

Our thoughts can influence sleep, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. According to the theory of “embodied cognition,” the semantic content of cognitive processes is represented by multimodal networks in the brain, which include body‐related functions. Such multimodal representations could offer a mechanism, which explains mutual influences between cognition and sleep. Here we tested whether sleep‐related words are represented in multimodal networks by examining the effect of congruent versus incongruent body positions on word processing during wakefulness. We experimentally manipulated the body position of 66 subjects (19–40 years old) between standing upright and lying down. Sleep‐ and activity‐related words were presented around the individual speech recognition threshold. Our results show that word processing was facilitated in congruent body positions (sleep words: lying down and activity words: standing upright) compared with incongruent body positions, as indicated by a reduced N400 in the congruent condition with the lowest volume. In addition, early sensory components of the ERP (N180 and P280) were enhanced, suggesting that words were also acoustically better understood in a congruent body position. However, the difference in ERPs did not translate to differences on a behavioral level. Our results support the prediction of embodied processing of sleep‐ and activity‐related words. Body position potentially induces a pre‐activation of multimodal networks, thereby enhancing access to the semantic concepts of words related to current body position. The link between semantic meaning and body‐related function could be a key element in explaining the influences of cognitive processing on sleep.

Frequency-Dependent Cortical Interactions during Semantic Processing: An Electrocorticogram Cross-spectrum Analysis Using a Semantic Space Model.

Convergent evidence has demonstrated that semantics are represented by the interaction between a multimodal semantic hub at the anterior temporal lobe (ATL) and other modality-specific association cortical areas. Electrocorticogram (ECoG) recording with high spatiotemporal resolutions is efficient in evaluating such cortical interactions; however, this has not been a focus of preceding studies. The present study evaluated cortical interactions during picture naming using a novel ECoG cross-spectrum analysis, which was formulated from a computational simulation of neuronal networks and combined with a vector space model of semantics. The results clarified three types of frequency-dependent cortical networks: 1) an earlier-period (0.2-0.8s from stimulus onset) high-gamma-band (90-150Hz) network with a hub at the posterior fusiform gyrus, 2) a later-period (0.4-1.0s) beta-band (15-40Hz) network with multiple hubs at the ventral ATL and posterior middle temporal gyrus, and 3) a pre-articulation theta-band (4-7 Hz) network distributed over widely located cortical regions. These results suggest that frequency-dependent cortical interactions can characterize the underlying processes of semantic cognition, and the beta-band network with a hub at the ventral ATL is especially associated with the formation of semantic representation.

Why grid cells function as a metric for space

The brain is able to calculate the distance and direction to the desired position based on grid cells. Extensive neurophysiological studies of rodent navigation have postulated the grid cells function as a metric for space, and have inspired many computational studies to develop innovative navigation approaches. Furthermore, grid cells may provide a general encoding scheme for high-order nonspatial information. Built upon existing neuroscience and machine learning work, this paper provides theoretical clarity on that the grid cell population codes can be taken as a metric for space. The metric is generated by a shift-invariant positive definite kernel via kernel distance method and embeds isometrically in a Euclidean space, and the inner product of the grid cell population code exponentially converges to the kernel. We also provide a method to learn the distribution of grid cell population efficiently. Grid cells, as a scalable position encoding method, can encode the spatial relationships of places and enable grid cells to outperform place cells in navigation. Further, we extend the grid cell to images encoding and find that grid cells embed images into a mental map, where geometric relationships are conceptual relationships of images. The theoretical model and analysis would contribute to establishing the grid cell code as a generic coding scheme for both spatial and conceptual spaces, and is promising for a multitude of problems across spatial cognition, machine learning and semantic cognition.

Structural Weakening and Paradoxes

Recently, several authors have pointed out that substructural logics are adequate for developing naive theories that represent semantic concepts such as truth. Among them, three proposals have been explored: dropping cut, dropping contraction and dropping reflexivity. However, nowhere in the substructural literature has anyone proposed rejecting the structural rule of weakening, while accepting the other rules. Some theorists have even argued that this task was not possible, since weakening plays no role in the derivation of semantic paradoxes. In this article, I introduce a theory for naive truth based on the logic resulting from dropping the rule of weakening from classical logic, and maintaining the other structural rules.

Decoding of semantic categories of imagined concepts of animals and tools in fNIRS

Objective. Semantic decoding refers to the identification of semantic concepts from recordings of an individual’s brain activity. It has been previously reported in functional magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalography. We investigate whether semantic decoding is possible with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Specifically, we attempt to differentiate between the semantic categories of animals and tools. We also identify suitable mental tasks for potential brain–computer interface (BCI) applications. Approach. We explore the feasibility of a silent naming task, for the first time in fNIRS, and propose three novel intuitive mental tasks based on imagining concepts using three sensory modalities: visual, auditory, and tactile. Participants are asked to visualize an object in their minds, imagine the sounds made by the object, and imagine the feeling of touching the object. A general linear model is used to extract hemodynamic responses that are then classified via logistic regression in a univariate and multivariate manner. Main results. We successfully classify all tasks with mean accuracies of 76.2% for the silent naming task, 80.9% for the visual imagery task, 72.8% for the auditory imagery task, and 70.4% for the tactile imagery task. Furthermore, we show that consistent neural representations of semantic categories exist by applying classifiers across tasks. Significance. These findings show that semantic decoding is possible in fNIRS. The study is the first step toward the use of semantic decoding for intuitive BCI applications for communication.

Hyper-Hyponymic Relations in the English Terms to Denote Animal Diseases

The concepts of each subject area, which are interconnected, form a conceptual system of a particular science. The relationship and dependence of special concepts is often manifested in hyper-hyponymic relations. Structures built on the relations of hyper-hyponymy between professional concepts are a complex framework of terminology. The interrelationships between individual language units and between their associations depend on the relation between terms. The study of the processes of formation of hyper-hyponymic relations is one of the central problems of cognitive semantics, as categorization is directly related to the global problem of theoretical linguistics in the ratio of cognitive and linguistic structures. The purpose of the article is to study the specifics of the hierarchical structure of terms to denote animal diseases on the basis of hyper-hyponymic relations and to determine a set of language tools for their expression. Materials and methods of research . Component and distributive analysis were used to study the structure of terms. To establish the semantic connections of words, lexicographic analysis is used, which is based on the principle of using dictionary interpretations, which in most cases are a reliable sources of thematic groups of terminological units. To identify systemic linguistic relations in the studied terminology, we use distributive analysis and the method of semantic oppositions. Results of the research. The construction of a hierarchical structure of terms to denote animal diseases was carried out by analyzing the relationship between the term denoting a common generic concept and a term that reflects the variants of the same concept. In the terminology to denote animal diseases, two directions of term formation were distinguished: differentiation by the place of lesion and by species of animals. The hyperonym Diseases by location is generic to other terms in its group: endocrine and metabolic diseases; hematology, oncology and immunology; dermatological diseases; diseases of the gastrointestinal tract; cardiac and respiratory diseases; diseases of urinary tracts; diseases of reproductive system; neurologic and musculoskeletal disorders; ophthalmological diseases. The second principle of differentiation of terms to denote animal diseases in English is Diseases by animal species. This hyperonym is represented by diseases of certain species of animals. It is established that the analyzed hyper-hyponymic structure of terms has a multilevel organization, which reflects the evolution of the development of this clinical branch of veterinary medicine. Structural analysis of the hierarchical organization of terms to denote animal diseases in English allows not only to have an idea of the content of this subject area, but also to better understand the principles of terminology structure, which is important for lexicographic and translation practice. Conclusions. Terms to denote animal diseases show the relationship of phenomena, processes, objects that correspond to this area of work of veterinarians, and their ordering can be achieved through the correct classification of realities, which create terms based on the selection of hyperonyms and hyponyms. Thus, the regularity of the participation of terminological units in the constant systemic relations of subordination, which are characteristic of the processes of integration or differentiation of their components both at different and at the same levels of their detection, is expressed.

The neural bases of resilient semantic system: evidence of variable neuro-displacement in cognitive systems

The purpose of this study was to explore an important research goal in cognitive and clinical neuroscience: What are the neurocomputational mechanisms that make cognitive systems “well engineered” and thus resilient across a range of performance demands and to mild levels of perturbation or even damage? A new hypothesis called ‘variable neuro-displacement’ suggests that cognitive systems are formed with dynamic, spare processing capacity, which balances energy consumption against performance requirements and can be resilient to changes in performance demands. Here, we tested this hypothesis by investigating the neural dynamics of the semantic system by manipulating performance demand. The performance demand was manipulated with two levels of task difficulty (easy vs. hard) in two different ways (stimulus type and response timing). We found that the demanding semantic processing increased regional activity in both the domain-specific semantic representational system (anterior temporal lobe) and the parallel executive control networks (prefrontal, posterior temporal, and parietal regions). Functional connectivity between these regions was also increased during demanding semantic processing and these increases were related to better semantic task performance. Our results suggest that semantic cognition is made resilient by flexible, dynamic changes including increased regional activity and functional connectivity across both domain-specific and domain-general systems. It reveals the intrinsic resilience-related mechanisms of semantic cognition, mimicking alterations caused by perturbation or brain damage. Our findings provide a strong implication that the intrinsic mechanisms of a well-engineered semantic system might be attributed to the compensatory functional alterations in the impaired brain.

Ensuring the readiness of the psychophysical state of water transport specialists by means of physical exercises

The article considers the psychofunctional mechanism and the impact of physical exercises on the psychophysical condition of future water transport specialists (on the example of the use of competitive fights in hand-to-hand combat in the optional lesson "Self-defense"). From the analysis of actual sources the extreme factors of professional activity (groups of factors of natural conditions, production conditions, social and psychological factors) and interrelation of action of professional activity on a psychophysical condition of experts are defined. According to the method of tapping test: the strength of the nervous system, the effect of physical activity on the psychological state. It is established that the state of psychophysical readiness is a semantic concept and is a physical readiness of the organism, emotional-volitional, intellectual and motivational, which is manifested in the concentration of physiological capabilities of the organism (including reserve), its mental processes, general mobilization, self-confidence, emotional uplift. and the ability to realize the acquired potential. It was determined that the stabilization of the maximum rate of hand movements is associated with the general psychophysical state of the subjects, which correlates with the mental state and the effect of physical activity. Performing physical exercises physiologically affects the psychological state of water transport specialists by training the body's potential reserves. The study confirms the relationship and impact of exercise on the psychological stability of the body. Increased emotional state (fights in training, for some the first) in applicants causes a significant decrease in the maximum rate of hand movements for 10 seconds of the test with its subsequent stabilization. The second-year winners have the indicator of the absolute values of the tapping test before the fights significantly higher than the fi rst- year winners. Ambiguous indicators of asymmetry in first- and second-year applicants are a convincing prerequisite for further research in terms of forming a set of measures of volitional readiness for professional activity.

Zero-Shot Video Event Detection With High-Order Semantic Concept Discovery and Matching

Multimedia event detection aims to precisely retrieve videos that contain complex semantic events from a large pool. This work addresses this task under a zero-shot setting, where only brief event-specific textural information (such as event names, a few descriptive sentences, etc.) is known yet none positive video example is provided. Mainstream approaches to tackling this task are middle-level semantic concept-based, where meticulously-crafted concept banks (e.g., LSCOM) are adopted. We argue that these concept banks are still inadequate facing video semantic complexity. Existing semantic concepts are essentially first-order, mainly designed for atomic objects, scenes or human actions, etc. This work advocates the utilization of high-order concepts (such as subject-predicate-object triplets or adjective-object). The main contributions are two-fold. First, we harvest a comprehensive albeit compact high-order concept library through distilling information from three large public datasets (MS-COCO, Visual Genome, and Kinetics-600), mainly related to visual relations and human-object interactions. Secondly, zero-shot events are often only briefly and partially described via textual input. The resultant semantic ambiguity makes the pursuit of the most indicative high-order concepts challenging. We thus design a novel query-expanding scheme that enriches ambiguous event-specific keywords by searching over either large common knowledge bases ( <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">e.g.</i> , WikiHow) or top-ranked webpages retrieved from modern search engines. This way sets up a more faithful connection between zero-shot events and high-order concepts. To our best knowledge, this is the first work that strives for concept-based video search beyond first-order concepts. Extensive experiments have been conducted on several large video benchmarks (TRECVID 2013, TRECVID 2014, and ActivityNet-1.3). The evaluations clearly demonstrate the superiority of our constructed high-order concept library and its complementariness to existing concepts.

Intracranial EEG evidence of functional specialization for taxonomic and thematic relations

The dual-hub account posits that the neural organization of semantic knowledge is segregated by the type of semantic relation with anterior temporal lobe (ATL) specializing for taxonomic relations and inferior parietal lobule (IPL) for thematic relations. This study critically examined this account by recording intracranial EEG from an array of depth electrodes within ATL, IPL, and two regions within the semantic control network, inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG), while 17 participants with refractory epilepsy completed a semantic relatedness judgment task. We observed a significant difference between relation types in ATL and IPL approximately 600–800 ms after trial presentation, and no significant differences in IFG or pMTG. Within this time window, alpha and theta suppression indexing cognitive effort and memory retrieval was observed in ATL for taxonomic trials and in IPL for thematic trials. These results suggest taxonomic specialization in ATL and thematic specialization in IPL, consistent with the dual-hub account of semantic cognition.

Когнитивные основания интерпретации метафорического образа в разных лингвокультурах

The article considers Russian and English figurative words and expressions that demonstrate metaphorization of bakery products images. The cognitive basis of metaphorical projections, universal and specific models of figurative analogies are revealed. The material includes 36 English units metaphorically motivated by 12 names of bakery products (biscuit, bun, cake, cookie, doughnut, dumpling, muffin, pancake, pie, pudding, tart, toast) and 98 Russian figurative units motivated by 16 culinary names (baranka, blin, bublik, bulka, kalach, karal'ka, keks, kovrizhka, krendel', lepeshka, pampushka, pirog, pljushka, ponchik, pyshka, suhar'). The speech material consists of the corpus data and includes 167 Russian and 109 English contexts. The analysis methodology is based on the cognitive metaphor theory, the semasiological theory of lexical and phraseological figurativeness, methods of contrastive analysis, linguocultural commenting and corpus research techniques. Static salient criteria of bakery products were revealed (round, spherical, ring-shaped, flat; specific colour; lush, soft, elastic, crumbly structure; high temperature; sweet, pleasant taste), as well as process and dynamic characteristics associated with cooking and food intake procedures. It is proved that these criteria in both linguistic cultures are grounded at the source of figurative characteristics of some human body parts, figure and hairstyle, social and political life phenomena, animate and inanimate objects. The results of the study contribute to metaphorology, linguoculturology, cognitive semantics and pragmatics, comparative lexicology and phraseology; they can be used in teaching of Russian and English as foreign languages, as well as in lexicographic practice.

Основные положения концепции семантической интероперабельности сетецентрических систем.

In the situation of transition from information and control systems to a net-centric architecture and development of net-centric information and control system, the relevance of interoperability assurance in such systems is increasing. Interoperability have to be provided at three levels: technical, semantic and organizational in accordance with Russia's state standard no. 55062-2012. Main thesis of the semantic interoperability concept are proposed in this paper on basis of a multi-agent approach and a systems, capabilities, operations, programs, and enterprises model for interoperability assessment. The peculiarity of this concept is that interaction on the semantic level in net-centric systems is formalized on basis of various types of agents: human agents, technical cognitive agents and technical reactive agents. At the same time, the semantics of agents interactions with each other is determined by goals of the agents, subject area of interaction and context.

영어 통사 구조의 인지적 구성 요소 연구

One of the key points in cognitive semantics is conceptualization. When human cognition emerges from thoughts into language, various types of conceptualization are found. Conceptualizations are present in every linguistic field consisting of phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. The properties of the conceptualizations which are located in the syntactic structure are researched in this paper. The syntactic viewpoints of language are related to the semantic ones of language. Meaning construction affects syntactic analysis in the sentences. Conceptualizations of ontological metaphors related to figure․ground are visible in the structures of clauses, prepositional phrases, entailment, syntagmatic relation, light verbs, and the particle to.

A Cognitive Semantics of Politics: With Focus on Debates between the U.S. Presidential Candidates

Most of the studies of previous presidential debates focused on the types and numbers of words and sentences used by individual candidates, the impact of debates on polls, turn-takings, and gender roles, but little attention has been paid to figurative languages used in political debates. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze the figurative language used in the 2020 U.S. presidential TV debates and compare the results with the results of the past five elections since 2000, and find out the characteristics of the political rhetoric. The findings of this study are as follows. First, there is no regularity in using conceptual metaphors at each election. Second, the frequency of conceptual metaphors is the candidate’s personal inclination in that the number of conceptual metaphors used by political party or year does not vary much. Finally, it is shown that historical events are actively reflected in political rhetoric and especially expressed in terms of conceptual metaphors.

Media framing of fighting COVID‐19 in China

This study focuses on media framings of COVID‐19 in Chinese social and cultural contexts. After analysing nine weeks’ news reports of Xinwen Lianbo, one of China's mainstream media, we discovered that the metaphorical war frame dominated throughout the corpus but it did not remain the same. Some of its semantic concepts like the type of war evolved over time. There are also several minor metaphors such as race, challenge, chess and combination blow metaphors, which are not as dominant as the war metaphor but should by no means be neglected. The race and challenge metaphors are complementary with the war metaphor to frame COVID‐19, while the chess and combination blow metaphors are culturally loaded. What's more, literal frames like responsibility and collaboration were also found in the corpus. All frames, whether metaphorical or literal, work together to shape what COVID‐19 was, what roles people should play and what people could do. In this study, we intend to explore how media framings of COVID‐19 were related to media and government's responses as well as how they might have contributed to the public's responses. The media is an important source of information, whose role in public health emergencies deserves our attention.

The formulation and generation of terms for phonetics and phonology in the Classical Arabic linguistic treatises

This study seeks to uncover the theoretical bases for the production of the classical Arabic phonetic terms and their elements in the means of generating terms for both lexical semantics and conceptual semantics. The research problem is concerned with examining the roots of generating these phonetic terms and determining the categories of their elements in order to inspect the development of the generation of the terms and investigating the relationship between the specific lexical meanings and their change to figurative meanings. The study is based on the content analysis in terms of classifying the elements and analysing the roots of the qualitative data at the level of the features of the generation of terms' procedures. The findings indicate that the classical phonetic terms were subject to the parameters of the morphological derivation and based on three categories ranging from simple, to complex and compound, in addition to the change of the lexical meanings of the terms to figurative meanings. The study suggests linking the elements and methods of generating these phonetic terms with their partial and detailed definitions in these treatises. This is due to the interest of the ancient phoneticians in the explanation of the concepts more than the formulation of the terms.

Conceptual silencing as a rhetorical tool. A cognitive lexical semantics study of the lexical item Europe

Taking a cognitive lexical semantics perspective, the article introduces the concept of conceptual silencing as a rhetorical tool. Understood as a process of conceptual dissolution of meaning to offer a more coarse-grained sense of an expression, conceptual silencing is demonstrated to have a potential rhetorical value in that it allows for more opaque reproduction of ideology. From a cognitive linguistic standpoint, the process of conceptual silencing hinges upon a polysemous nature of a lexical item and boils down to triggering a given sense of a given lexical item in a given context. To illustrate the workings of conceptual silencing, the article reports on a case study of the lexical item Europe in the Guardian press discourse. It is demonstrated that the ultimate effect of conceptual silencing is silencing the ‘European Union’ senses under the guise of the lexical item Europe.

The Aesthetics of Rupture: Deconstructing Rasa

Semantic fixity is a transcendental signified. One of the touted aims of literary theory was to topple it. The Indian semantic concept of Vyañjana attempted to do this millennia before. But canonical theories of Rasa established Rasananda as an attainment of absolute coherence and harmony. What this paper calls trans-epistemic praxis is a viable methodology to reclaim the long-lost rupturality (if structurality is resisted, rupturality must be embraced, at least as a neologism) inherent to aesthetics. This is done in a Post-theory context. “Bhanga” (rupturing) leads to “bhangi”, aesthetic charm. It is an aporetic textual disruption that leads to the most fertile indeterminacy of meaning. Modern literary theory set out on a debunking and destabilizing mission of liberal humanist tenets, but got hardened into “doxa”, crystallized structures and hierarchies. This necessitated a theorizing of theory itself. The chronotope of Post-theory gets foregrounded. A crossing of spatio-temporal boundaries gives us the freedom to site Rasa Theory and Indian Poetics as Post-theoretical. Inter-spaces and inter-times are engendered. Deconstruction and Rasa become heterodoxic knowledges to each other, subverting each other honouring the alterity of the other. This exercise liberates Theory from becoming sclerotic. Orthodoxics and monologisms get flouted. Theory is a story. Story is built on the figurality of language. The tropology of language is built on a never-ending desire for signification. This desire never meets with satiation. The concept of “Rati” can be seen as this interminable desire of language. Post-theory is a call to wake up from amnesia, the terrible oblivion regarding the fact that Deconstruction and Rasa are ceaseless streams of reading processes and not rigid and straitjacketed end products. This ruptural aesthetics leads to the rapture of poeisis, the indeterminate significatory process.

Semantic approaches for query expansion

To increase the Information Retrieval System’s efficiency, there is a requirement to expand the native user query. There are many approaches to enhance the user query in which the primary method consists of semantic-based query expansion (QE). In a semantic-based QE approach, relevant documents are retrieved by considering all the similar terms of a given user query. The semantic-based QE approach helps in dealing with the limitation of low recall and low precision value of the Information retrieval system and deals with ambiguity and vagueness. Query Expansion techniques contain the semantic concepts that are relevant to semantic computing, computational intelligence, and information retrieval area. Computational intelligence technique is required during automatic query expansion for advanced information processing. This paper presents a comprehensive survey of the methods proposed by several researchers considering semantic-based query expansion. It also discusses the merits and demerits of each technique in a detailed manner. This paper presents the view of several semantic query expansion core techniques. This paper also discusses the various keyholes present in today’s era.