PATH TO REALIZATION :
A TYPOLOGY OF EVENT CONFLATION
LEONARD TALMY
Presenter : Yi-sin Chen 2014.11.19
Intro
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3 findings of this paper :
Event complex – simplex v.s fused
5 types of the FRAMING EVENT
2 typological categories – V & satellite
The paper is intended as a contribution on
conceptual integration and unification as a
fundament of human thought.
1. The Macro-Event
What is “macro event” ?
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Simplex event : an event that can be expressed by
a single clause
Complex event : a sentence consisting of a main
clause and a subordinate clause
Talmy(1985) introduced the “conceptual conflation
event”, which is the result of a simplex event and
some additional events undergoing the process of
reconceptualization .
What is “macro event” ?
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Macro event : is expressed by a single clause and is
regularly conceptualized as a unified simplex
clause.
Macro event can be regarded as the product of
“conceptual conflation”.
There are 2 event-components within the macro
event :
Framing event (main)
Supporting event (subordinate)
What is “macro event” ?
More on framing event
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The framing event determines all or most of the
argument structure and semantic character of the
arguments overall within the macro-event, as well as
determining all or most of the syntactic complement
structure in the sentence that expresses the macroevent.
The framing event delineate a certain type of
schematic structure in a particular set of organized
conceptual domains, so it can be referred to as a
“domain-schematizing event”.
More on framing event
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5 types of domain schematization that the framing
event can represent :
Path in an event of motion
Aspect in an event of contouring in time
Change property in an event of state change
Correlation in an event of action correlating
Fulfillment / confirmation in an event of action
realization
2 typological categories
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2 typological categories of the coding of macro
event :
the main verb (V) : A construction which expresses
the core schema in the verb is verb-framed (the
verb is a framing verb). Languages for which this
pattern is predominant are verb-framed.
the satellite (adjunct) : A construction which maps
the core schema onto a satellite is satellite-framed.
Languages that characteristically use this pattern
are satellite-framed.
2 typological categories
English is a satellite-framed language
e.g.
The ball rolled in.
the particle “in” expresses the schematic core
 Spanish is a verb-framing language
e.g.
El perro salió corriendo
the dog exited running
(‘The dog ran out’)
the verb “salió” conveys both motion and path (outwards)

satellite-framed language
verb-framing language
2. A Motion Event as the Framing Event
Motion event
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Motion event consists of:
Figure – object moving or being located
Ground – reference object
Path – path followed or site occupied by figure
Motion – presence of motion of locatedness in the
event
The core schema of the motion event :
Path alone : ex. English
Path + Ground : ex. Atsugewi
Motion event
Motion event
3. Temporal Contouring (Aspect) as the
Framing Event
Temporal Contouring (Aspect)
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Aspect is conceptualized as an event in time.
Temporal structure is conceptualized as paralleling
spatial structure.
The core schema of the temporal contouring event
appears in main verbs in verb-framed languages
but in the satellite in satellite-framed languages.
Examples :
German : satellite-framed lg
Spanish : verb-framed lg
Temporal Contouring (Aspect)
English : “ I wrote the letter to completion.”
 direction TO + temporal contour COMPLETE
 path + ground THE LETTER
 German expresses the whole core schema in a
framing satellite and the supporting event in a
supporting verb.
 Spanish expresses the whole core schema in a
framing verb and the supporting event in a verbal
complement.
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Temporal Contouring (Aspect)
4. State Change as the Framing Event
State Change
State change : a property is associated with a
particular object or situation, an event consists of a
change in, or the unchanging continuation
 The core schema of state change event is the
combination of the transition type plus the state
path + ground of a motion event
 transition type :
1)
change
2)
stasis
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State Change
State Change
5. Action Correlation as the Framing
Event
Action Correlation
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An entity executing a certain activity, must also have an
object NP that refers to a 2nd agency, one whose activity
is appropriate to the 1st activity – typically, either
comparable to it or complementary to it. = “coactivity”
Types of correlation :
concert
accompaniment
Imitation
surpassment
demonstration
Action Correlation
Concert : both the agent’s action and the agency’s
action are set in conception as equipotent
components of a joint unity.
e.g.
I played the piano together with him.
 Accompaniment : the agent act in accompaniment or
as an addition or adjunct to the agency.
e.g.
I jogged along with him.
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Action Correlation
Imitation : the agent directs his own activity so as to
be an copy of the agency’s activity.
e.g.
I played the melody in imitation of him.
 Surpassment : the agent’s activity surpass the
agency’s activity.
e.g.
I outplayed him.
(out+V)
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Action Correlation
Demonstration : the agent executes an activity so
that it will function as a demonstration to an agency
that, in turn, will observe the agency’s activity.
e.g.
I showed him how to play the piano.
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6. Realization as the Framing Event
Realization
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Realization event is an encompassive category for a
hierachical pair of related types that will be
termed “fulfillment” or “confirmation”.
semantic series containing realization types :
Action
Action + intention
Action + intention + implicature of fulfillment of
intention
Action + intention + fulfillment of intention
Realization
Realization
Review of the FRAMING EVENT types
-- English & Mandarin
English (Liu,1997)
1)
event of motion :
The ball rolled in.
2)
Aspect :
They talked on.
3)
state change :
The candle blew out.
4)
action correlating : She sang alone.
5)
action realization : The police hunted the fugitive down.
Mandarin V-R compound (Liu,1997)
1)
event of motion :
跳下去
2)
aspect :
講下去
3)
state change :
弄破
4)
action correlating :
唱和
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action realization :
殺死
Conclusion
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There’s psychological reality to certain fundamental
conceptual entity with linguistic expression.
The entity can be conceptualized either as a
“complex event”, or as a “single fused event”.
5 types of the FRAMING EVENT :
Motion event
Temporal contouring (aspect)
State change
Action correlation
Realization