Conceptual Combination
Conceptual combination is the process of combining two or more concepts together,
often resulting in a novel concept. Conceptual combination can occur in a variety of
linguistic devices:
- Noun-Noun Combinations
involve the combination of two nouns; e.g.
pet sounds.
- Similes
compare the two nouns by using "like" or "as"; e.g. Her voice is like a siren.
- Metaphors
compare two nouns by using a "be verb"; e.g. That lawyer is a shark.
The result of the combination of two nouns in similes and metaphors is one noun which has
a property of the other noun. For example, that lawyer is a shark would involve attributing
the property of being ferocious to the lawyer. Noun-noun combinations may also be understood using
the same property interpretation process as similes and metaphors. However,
these combinations could also be processed based on a relational interpretation, in which one noun is
related to the other. I will conduct two experiments that will explore whether processing similes and metaphors may also initially
involve a relational interpretation.