| Our knowledge of the world largely derives from our sensory experience,so there are a huge number of experiential words in our daily language.This research takes the walk-type English verbs as the research object.According to incomplete statistics,there are more than thirty walk-type verbs in English,such as amble(to walk slowly in a relaxed way),creep(to move slowly,quietly and carefully,because you do not want to be seen or heard),patter(to move with quick,light,softly audible steps)etc.They all represent different ways of walking.However,the nuances among their phenomenal meanings add to learners’ difficulties in acquiring the in-depth semantic knowledge of such words.This study aims to combine the linguistic method of componential analysis with a multimodal perspective to refine the semantic knowledge of walk-type English verbs,on the basis of which a semantic network is constructed to help EFL learners(including computer)master the phenomenal meaning of walk-type verbs and thereby have a better understanding and use of such words.The thesis will be tentatively divided into six chapters.The first chapter is a general introduction to the research background,the significance of semantic network construction as well as the research method and organization of the thesis.Chapter two reviews the previous studies on semantic networks and multimodality studies.In chapter three,componential analysis,semantic field theory and multimodal semantics are to be elaborated.Chapter four will conduct a componential analysis of walk-type English verbs at the paradigmatic level within Liang’s framework of multimodality.Semantic component formula of each walk-type verb will be obtained in this chapter.Chapter five will deal with the construction of hierarchical semantic networks of walk-type verbs and illustrate how they help EFL learners to grasp,distinguish and use the verbs correctly.A conclusion involving findings,implications and limitations will be drawn in Chapter Six. |
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