Conceptual Processes in the Coining of Terms to Designate the Penis (American Spanish)
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to analyze the mental processing associated with the coining of words, specifically those denoting penis in American Spanish. To this end, the salient features of the ICM (Idealized Cognitive Model) of 241 words denoting penis, documented in the Dictionary of Spanish-Czech Americanisms, were studied. The results demonstrate the activation of a multitude of salient features throughout the coining process, emphasizing its shape, physiological characteristics, functions (reproductive and urinary), and the subjective perception of the speakers. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for multiple features to be combined and for further metaphors or metonymies to take place. It is concluded that this article sheds new light on the heterogeneity, peculiarities, and combinatorial possibilities of the salient features of the ICM during the minting process, illustrated by a concept, pene, which, given its cultural and social connotations, stands out for an unusual abundance of terms denoting it.
Keywords
linguistics, Spanish, Latin America, conceptualization, dictionary
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