The semantic network of temperature

What is it about?

The present study investigates the relation between TEMPERATURE and non-sensory domains conceptually close to it. Observing metaphorical extensions of the Italian basic temperature terms caldo (‘hot’) and freddo (‘cold’), individuated through a collocational analysis performed on the ItTenTen16 corpus, mental operations responsible for the association of TEMPERATURE with other domains are assessed. Although conceptual associations are primarily motivated by embodiment, in some cases they stem from a shared “vertical” image-schematic structure: WARMTH and HEAT are up, while COLD is down on the axis, resembling the configuration of other domains with a positive/negative orientation (e.g., GOOD/BAD).

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Photo by Alina Grubnyak on Unsplash

Photo by Alina Grubnyak on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Interestingly, many associations are first elaborated onto WARMTH/HEAT and then used to map concepts onto COLD. A visual representation of the semantic network of TEMPERATURE highlights that domains associated with TEMPERATURE are mirrored in its two poles: for instance, HIGH and LOW TEMPERATURE are associated, respectively, with FRIENDLINESS and UNFRIENDLINESS.