Metaphorical motion in modern Arabic fiction (1970–2022): analyzing the use of motion verbs and manner
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study investigates metaphorical motion in modern Arabic fiction (1970–2022) to understand how motion verbs are selected and realized in abstract conceptual domains. While Arabic is traditionally classified as a verb-framed language, typically encoding path over manner, the research explores whether this typological tendency holds true for figurative language. Drawing on a 1.6-million-word corpus and integrating Talmy’s typology with a structurally enriched Conceptual Metaphor Theory, the study analyzes the distribution of manner and non-manner verbs across conceptual domains, metaphorical mappings, and underlying structural features like image schemas and experiential grounding. Findings reveal that while abstract domains (e.g., Time, Death) favor schematic, path-only expressions, sensorimotor domains (e.g., Physical Sensation, Emotion) frequently employ vivid, manner-rich verbs, especially for agentive or affectively salient metaphorical figures. Crucially, metaphorical mappings and their internal conceptual architecture – including image schema, figure–ground alignment, and experiential grounding – prove to be stronger predictors of verb choice than grammatical typology alone. This suggests that typological constraints can be overridden by the metaphor’s conceptual structure, particularly in metaphor-rich literary discourse. The study advocates for a shift from typological essentialism towards a cognitively informed model where metaphor structure primarily shapes motion rendering.
Source: Cognitive Linguistics
Author: Waleed Othman
Institution: Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan
Language: English
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4416295102