A COGNITIVE-METONYMIC APPROACH TO AUXILIARY SELECTION
Keywords:
Auxiliary selection; conceptual metonymy; grammaticalization constraints; cognitive linguistics; event structure; semantic bleaching; cross-linguistic evidence.Abstract
This paper addresses a fundamental question in grammaticalization studies: why do only certain lexical verbs develop into auxiliary verbs while others do not? Drawing on cognitive linguistics and grammaticalization theory, the study argues that auxiliary formation is not random but constrained by semantic and cognitive factors. Specifically, it proposes that only verbs that encode salient components of event structure and allow metonymic extension within a single conceptual domain are likely to grammaticalize. By examining data from Uzbek and English, the paper demonstrates that verbs such as put, give, and go undergo systematic semantic shifts, while verbs like eat or drink resist such development due to their lexical specificity. The findings contribute to a more precise understanding of the relationship between cognition, semantics, and grammaticalization.
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