Verbs, time and existence

Abstract Basic features of nominal and clausal structure are re-examined in light of recent developments in Cognitive Grammar. By positing only assemblies of symbolic structures, this framework aims at a unified account of structure, processing, and discourse. A main theme of this chapter is the parallelism of nominal and clausal structures, reflecting that of the archetypes functioning as the noun and verb prototypes: objects and events. An important source of unification is the suggestion that an event exists through time in much the same way that an object exists in space. Among the issues considered at some length are grounding, the nature of “existence,” the conceptual definition of grammatical categories (verbs in particular), and an approach to linguistic meaning featuring comparison chains and paths of access.