SLIDE 11 11
Marti Hearst, NYU Semantics ‘08
Using Cognitive Linguistics Using Cognitive Linguistics
► ►Reddy
Reddy’ ’s Conduit Metaphor s Conduit Metaphor
Reddy, “ “The Conduit Metaphor The Conduit Metaphor – – A Case of Frame Conflict in Our Language about Language, A Case of Frame Conflict in Our Language about Language,” ” in in Metaphor and Thought, Ortony (Ed), Cambridge University Press, 1979.
- A thought is schematized as an object which is placed by the spe
A thought is schematized as an object which is placed by the speaker into aker into a container that is sent along a conduit. a container that is sent along a conduit.
- The receiver at the other end is the listener, who removes the o
The receiver at the other end is the listener, who removes the objectified bjectified thought from the container and thus possesses it. thought from the container and thus possesses it.
- Inferences that apply to conduits can be applied to communicatio
Inferences that apply to conduits can be applied to communication. n.
► ► “
“Your meaning did not come through. Your meaning did not come through.” ”
► ► “
“I can I can’ ’t put this thought into words. t put this thought into words.” ”
► ► “
“She is sending you some kind of message with that remark. She is sending you some kind of message with that remark.” ”
Marti Hearst, NYU Semantics ‘08
Using Cognitive Linguistics Using Cognitive Linguistics
► ►Combine into the Path Model
Combine into the Path Model
Hearst, “ “Direction Direction-
- based Text Interpretation as an Information Access Refinement,
based Text Interpretation as an Information Access Refinement,” ” in in Text- based Intelligent Systems, Jacobs (Ed), Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1992.
- If an agent favors an entity or event, that agent can be said to
If an agent favors an entity or event, that agent can be said to desire the desire the existence or existence or “ “well well-
being” ” of that entity, and vice
- f that entity, and vice-
- versa.
versa.
- Thus if an agent favors an entity
Thus if an agent favors an entity’ ’s triumph in a force s triumph in a force-
dynamic interaction, then the agent favors that entity or event. then the agent favors that entity or event.
- But: force dynamics does not have the expressive power for a seq
But: force dynamics does not have the expressive power for a sequence. uence.
Instead of focusing on the relative strength of two interacting
entities, the model should represent what happens to a single entity through the course of its encounters with other entities.
- Thus the entity can be schematized as if it were moving along a path
toward some destination or goal.
