3.3.3 Construal dimensions of image-G
Langacker(1987)sees diagram dimensions of image as dynamic parameters in the construction of conceptualization scenario.However,conceptualization scenario is a part of semantic information,which is the product of human's conceptual processing in semantic researching of information organization in particular cognitive situations.It involves lots of cognitive entities,such as objects,emotions and intuition,who possess the features of temporality or atemporality.In the sense,the construal of image-G equates to the construction of conceptualization scenario.Langacker(1987)sums up various diagram dimensions of image in scenario construal and reduces all of them to four broad categories,namely,profiling,specificity,prominence and perspective.
3.3.3.1 Profiling
First,the notion of profiling is constructed primarily of base and profile.No matter how complicated or simple,the semantic meaning of image-G originates from the imposition of profiling.The base of image-G contains one or more cognitive domains,which provide necessary background knowledge for human being's comprehension of profiling.The profile of image-G is a supporting structure which occupies an important position of projecting feature on its base,namely the supporting structure which the expression“designates”.The base is evidently integral to the semantic value of every individual predication;however,the base in itself cannot constitute an essential component of its semantic value.In a broad sense,any concept relevant to an intended referent is a part of the profiling of linguistic expression(Langacker,1987).For instance,the linguistic predication of zongzi(rice dumplings wrapped in reed leaves)indicates a specific Chinese traditional food.It is worthwhile to note that all the background knowledge and concepts are just a part of the profiling of its semantic value,such as the dragon boat races,the dragon boat festival and the historical origins of Chinese people's honors with special reference to the death of Qu Yuan(a well known Chinese ancient patriotic poet).Therefore,the semantic value of image-G in specific cognitive context is defined by a selection of one or more supporting structure within the base for the typical feature of a profile.The semantic value of image-G does not exist in either its base or its profile respectively,but rather in encyclopedic knowledge and cognitive context of these two.
3.3.3.2 Specificity
The level of specificity,as the second construal dimension of image-G,is concerned about how image-G is construed in terms of conceptualized ontology.It should be noted that certain semantic contents form pecking order where each one may contain higher hierarchical basis function and lower one with respect to the level of specificity(Langacker,2004).Thus specificity could be regarded as the level of definition and detail at which image-G is construed.Image-G could be construed roughly or be precisely described with specific perception.Image-G of highly specified construal will present a fine-grained semantics with high resolution.The exact opposite of specificity is schematization rather than detailed construal.Translators can construe image-G in a great detail or just outline it.In general,more detailed construal of image-G would bring more comprehensive semantics and relatively schematic description is likely to ignore the significance of implicit semantic information.Varied levels of specificity would bring about slight dissimilarity in the construal of image-G.
In addition,the level of specificity could be adopted as conventionalized method to analyze its conceptual and imagery structure of image-G construal.Relations between schematicity in linguistic entities are necessitated to specificity,which can give rise to conventionalized representations of conceptual and imagery structure.In a broad sense,any conceptual and imagery structure relevant to an intended referent is closely related to the level of specificity in the construal of linguistic expression(Tabakowska,1993).For instance,consider the linguistic entity of“spill”and“soup”to form the compound expression“spill the soup”:Both of“spill”and“soup”are hierarchical basis functions in its inner composition,which are realized through a correlation initiated between its conventionalized representation and the linguistic entity profiled by the soup.Therefore,the one who is characterized with far greater specificity in specially appointed textual discourse is entirely relative in nature with respect to prominent semantic primes.It elaborates a schematic and hierarchical basis within the other in linguistic entities,as it representatively demonstrates the case in the analysis of compound expression“spill the soup”above.Although proper degree of specificity is determined by relevant context in specific conceptualization process,it hinges ultimately on the conceptualization figure which is subject to certain instantiation and schematicity.(https://www.daowen.com)
3.3.3.3 Prominence
As the third construal dimension of image-G,prominence is relevant to the“range”and“extent of linguistic expressions”.The extent of a linguistic expression is the range of its semantic scope in pertinent domains.The semantic scope of image-G is not generally demonstrably bounded or assuredly indicated,yet human being's construal possesses appreciable constructional magnitude.In fact,constructional magnitude of human's construal of linguistic expressions'scope has been manifested and exemplified in certain linguistic constructions(Langacker,2008).For instance,house-part linguistic expressions elucidate the semantic and structural significance of these constructs.Necessary items of the delineation characters like bedroom,living room,and kitchen are the position of the profiled entity,which is relative to a house as a whole.Thus they are constituted as their domain and immediate extent of linguistic expressions for other house-part terms which are defined on a smaller range such as bed,sofa and kitchen cabinet.In certain linguistic constructions,the extent of linguistic expressions plays a definite structural role.
The semantic hierarchical organization of image-G also has structural consequences,which contain nested locatives.The semantic scope of image-G confines certain locative linguistic expression to a fixed“search domain”,which subsequently composes the extent of prominence for the nested locative items that follow.In terms of linguistic construction,these correlations are operated by postulating interaction between the“search domain”of each locative item and the semantic scope of image-G of their descendant(Clark & Eve,1997).Apart from specification and particularity of these items concerned,the correlation exists in any instance of image-G construal.The comparative salience and supporting construction of image-G construal incontrovertibly varies with human's conceptualization.As a result,its descriptive consequence lies in human being's conceptualization of highlighting various influencing factors,one of which is the predominant factor associated with profiling.
3.3.3.4 Perspective
The fourth construal dimension is perspective,which illustrates how image-G is objectively construed.Perspective can be regarded as the viewing positioning of human's conceptualization of image-G,which is de facto the viewing of semantic situation.The viewing positioning is the comprehensive correlation between the“viewers”and the semantic situation being“viewed”.The viewers are conceptualizers who perceive the semantics of image-G and have to obtain preverbal messages from it.The dimension of perspective involves the aspects of viewpoint(vantage point and orientation),deixis,subjectivity,objectivity and scanning mode(Langacker,2003b).Notably,the vantage point can to some extent cast light on the perspective the subject chooses,which concerns about human's conceptualization's actual perspective and angle.An objective situation can be perceived and elucidated from any angle of disparate vantage points,bringing about dissimilar image-G which may have noticeable consequences.Thus any image-G indisputably elicits a vantage point as part of its semantic meaning.In other words,the semantic dissimilarity inheres in viewers'selection of trajectory and landmark on their construal of image-G,while there is no significant difference among construction of profiling.Deixis is the phenomenon of using elements of the subject's situatednessmore specifically,the subject qua speaker in speech event-to designate something in the scene(Croft & Cruse,2004),which elicits the perception of one vantage point in order to set up“mental contact”with the others.In addition,the scanning mode of image-G construal refers to the human being's cognitive processing pattern when they scan the scene of image-G.Summary scanning means semantic elements of the scene of image-G are unified into a holistic Gestalt after completing scanning the whole scene.In short,the dimension of perspective is inevitable to the construal of image-G.It provides a sort of situational perspective,which is established on the temporal,cultural and epistemic basis,for the construal of image-G.