In press: In: Dimitrova-Vulchanova, M - NTNU

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encoded linguistically across languages. Our current work suggests that languages rather choose to encode certain (proto-)typical combinations of features that correspond to higher perceptual salience and experiential frequency of the motion scene at hand. We refer to this as the default setting of parameters. Thus, cross-linguistically we expect these feature combinations to cluster systematically, giving rise to lexical items in the respective (motion) lexicon. For the naming of less prototypical or non-default situations, speakers are expected to resort to items already existing in the lexicon, a strategy we refer to as re-cycling (cf. Dekova & Dimitrova-Vulchanova 2006). Thus, a chimp moving on all fours (i.e., knuckle-walking), which is the default for the species, will be nevertheless characterised by walk, if slow or run, if fast, apparently picking on the head-up horizontal nature of the motion or, alternatively ignoring hand-contact. The above features can be represented along the attribute-value graph format proposed in Dimitrova-Vulchanova (2004a,b) in (9) below. 7 Fig. 1 Monodevelopment Element: Moverj Orientation of Moverj: +/- rotation front-forwards/front-backwards Psychological state of Moverj Phasing: multi-point Medium: Location Path Fixed parameters: Vector orientation: Horizontal (left-to-right/right-to-left/towards/away from) Vertical (upward/downward) Shape: (straight/curved/circular) Specifiable parameters: Path origin Path end Contiguous to: x2 Path length Path-temporal function: path length tn The basic types in the representation include the figure in motion under the label of Mover, the medium with respect to which the change takes place, in the case of motion this is a 7 All unidirectional processes of change, including motion are subsumed by the category Monodevelopment following the Sign Model framework (cf. Dimitrova-Vulchanova 1996/99, Dimitrova-Vulchanova & Hellan 1995, Dimitrova-Vulchanova & Hellan 2000, Dekova 2006) 14
change of location, and whether the situation at hand is defined by multi-points (is a process) or by one/two-points (is punctual). The location includes specifications and attributes of the path defined as fixed parameters (those that are necessarily encoded in the meaning of the verb), and specifiable parameters (those that can be overtly referred to, and can take any value without causing contradiction with the original meaning of the verb). A separate path attribute is the path-temporal function which refers to the velocity of movement. There are also attributes of the Mover, the most important of which is its orientation in the movement. Also included in the representation is the possibility of certain verbs to specify for a psychological state of the mover (e.g., in Luganda (cf. Ndiwalana 2005), quite often verbs encode this feature). The current format is based in findings in current research of the perception and identification of biological motion (Johansson 1973, Giese 2004a, b, Jellema et al. 2002). It allows for highly detailed, while at the same time, naturally constrained representations (i.e. the array of features is limited) without resorting to descriptive loose notions, such as e.g., manner. Such a format is also more coherent with the physical properties of translational motion in naturally including features of the figure in motion or the path or the path-temporal function (speed), and recognizing their salience in the recognition and categorization of motion scenes, rather than “degrading” them to concomitant, but not motion proper parameters. 3.7 Hypotheses On the basis of the general motion encoding properties of the target verbs in the three target languages, our hypothesis is that the speakers of these three languages will use the verbs of biological motion, rather than pure path verbs, or more abstract verbs when describing scenes of biological motion. We expect this choice because the basic-level categories are informationally richer than the superordinate (0-level on Nikanne & van der Zee’s 2004 classification) ones, as they encode translational motion ([+ Path]), in addition to other specifications of the path or figure in motion (e.g., path shape, figure orientation, specific use of limbs etc.). Furthermore, the target verbs, which are basic-level verbs describing terrestrial gaits, will be preferred to their more specific/concrete verbs (e.g., strut, gallop, lope), because of the level of encoding they represent, revealed, among other things in looking at the linguistic data in terms of patterns of occurrence. With respect to the categorization and lexicalization of biological motion, our prediction is that non-default scenes of biological motion will elicit a less uniform response across verb 15
Page 1 and 2: In press: In: Dimitrova-Vulchanova,
Page 3 and 4: such as figure orientation). Common
Page 5 and 6: left-to-right vs. right-to-left) wi
Page 7 and 8: With respect to terrestrial biologi
Page 9 and 10: than not, the aspectual prefix is a
Page 11 and 12: 3.3 Verbs of walking The most centr
Page 13: 3.6 Features in the representation
Page 17 and 18: translation vs. non-translation (re
Page 19 and 20: Fig. 2 Overall frequencies of the t
Page 21 and 22: has demonstrated that infants as yo
Page 23 and 24: verbs only in Norwegian. In Bulgari
Page 25 and 26: Tversky 1977), and are specifically
Page 27 and 28: and respectively the verbs naming t
Page 29 and 30: across species at particular Froude
Page 31 and 32: independently, there is sufficient
Page 33 and 34: 5.2.6 The salience of path shape an
Page 35 and 36: motion scenes that we had selected
Page 37 and 38: Dimitrova-Vulchanova, M. 1999. Incr
Page 39 and 40: Papafragou, A. et al. 2002. Shake,
Page 41 and 42: Appendix 1 This appendix contains s
Page 43 and 44: 13 Long-legged bird walking 14 Croc
Page 45 and 46: 25 Snake crawling 26 Snake sidewind
Page 47 and 48: Fig. 1b. Multiset tree for Bulgaria
Page 49 and 50: Fig. 2b. Multiset tree for English
Page 51 and 52: Fig. 3b. Multiset tree for Norwegia

In press: In: Dimitrova-Vulchanova, M - NTNU

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