@article{jbp:/content/journals/10.1075/ijolc.1.1.06pon, author = "Ponsonnet, Maïa", title = "Figurative and non-figurative use of body-part words in descriptions of emotions in Dalabon (Northern Australia)", journal= "International Journal of Language and Culture", year = "2014", volume = "1", number = "1", pages = "98-130", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1075/ijolc.1.1.06pon", url = "https://www.jbe-platform.com/content/journals/10.1075/ijolc.1.1.06pon", publisher = "John Benjamins", issn = "2214-3157", type = "Journal Article", keywords = "metaphor", keywords = "Dalabon", keywords = "body", keywords = "emotion", keywords = "behavior", keywords = "Australian languages", abstract = "This article examines the status and functions of body-part words with respect to linguistic descriptions of emotions in Dalabon (Northern Australia). As in many languages in the world, words denoting invisible (internal) body-parts occur in figurative expressions. These expressions instantiate metaphors and metonymies inspired by non-observable somatic responses to emotions. In addition to this figurative pattern of usage, many more words for visible body-parts occur in expressions where they serve to produce more detailed descriptions of emotional behaviors — specifying which body-part is involved in a given emotional manifestation. The relatively widespread use of body-part words in such descriptions of emotions fosters semantic extensions, where some body-part nouns gain emotional connotations. The article analyzes these descriptive functions of body-part nouns in Dalabon, and examines how they reinforce semantic associations between body-parts and emotions.", }