The Cognitive Study of the Semantic Network of the "-ku:" Enclitic in Tangestani Dialect

Abstract

One of the main concepts in cognitive linguistics is that each unit of language has a semantic network. In this approach, morpheme, categories, and syntactic constructs all have a symbolic unit. In this sense, enclitics also have their own meanings that add meaning to the base of the host. As a result, the derivative is formed. An extension like the lexical categories provides a category that classifies all its meanings around a central meaning. /-ku/ is one of the most widely used enclitics in the Tangestan dialect which is connected to different bases with the category of nouns, adjectives, and infinities. The present article, in the context of cognitive semantics, explores the various concepts of the "-ku:" as an enclitic. The main objectives of this research are to show that the various meanings of the "-ku:" suffixes are not randomized and present its semantic network. The findings of this study revealed that the "-ku:" enclitic has a coherent network in which the various meanings of this enclitic extend around a prototypical meaning (i.e., definite meaning) in the form of a radial structure.

Keywords

• definite –forming enclitic
• cognitive semantics
• radial category
• tangestini dialect