COGNITIVE MECHANISMS OF COMPOUND POLYSEMY

Authors

  • Gaffarova Roxila Yusupovna,Yuldashev Akmal Gulamjanovich Master student, Uzbekistan State World languages university,professor, DSc, head of the department of Theoretical aspects of English language №1, Uzbekistan State World languages university

Keywords:

compound polysemy, cognitive linguistics, conceptual metaphor, metonymy, conceptual blending, semantic extension, compound words, lexical semantics, mental spaces, meaning construction.

Abstract

Compound words constitute an essential part of vocabulary development in many languages and often demonstrate polysemy, where a single compound form acquires multiple related meanings. This article examines the cognitive mechanisms underlying compound polysemy from the perspective of cognitive linguistics. The study focuses on conceptual metaphor, metonymy, conceptual blending, and semantic extension as key processes contributing to the emergence of multiple meanings in compound words. Through the analysis of selected English compounds such as blackmail, greenhouse, laptop, and brainstorm, the research demonstrates how human cognition shapes semantic development. The findings suggest that compound polysemy arises from dynamic conceptual interactions and reflects speakers’ cognitive abilities to structure experience and create meaning. The article contributes to the understanding of semantic evolution in compound formation and highlights the importance of cognitive mechanisms in lexical development.

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References

Gilles Fauconnier & Mark Turner (2002). The Way We Think: Conceptual Blending and the Mind's Hidden Complexities. New York: Basic Books.

George Lakoff (1987). Women, Fire, and Dangerous Things: What Categories Reveal About the Mind. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Vyvyan Evans & Melanie Green (2006). Cognitive Linguistics: An Introduction. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

Dirk Geeraerts (2010). Theories of Lexical Semantics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Gilles Fauconnier (1994). Mental Spaces: Aspects of Meaning Construction in Natural Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Charles J. Fillmore (1982). Frame Semantics. In Linguistics in the Morning Calm. Seoul: Hanshin Publishing Company.

Ronald W. Langacker (2008). Cognitive Grammar: A Basic Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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Published

2026-04-08

How to Cite

Gaffarova Roxila Yusupovna,Yuldashev Akmal Gulamjanovich. (2026). COGNITIVE MECHANISMS OF COMPOUND POLYSEMY. Journal of Applied Science and Social Science, 16(4), 288–291. Retrieved from https://www.internationaljournal.co.in/index.php/jasass/article/view/3971

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 4 (2026): Journal of Applied Science and Social Science

Section

Articles

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