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Related Terms

MODES OF EXPRESSION analogy argument configuration explanation expressions justification knowledge modes of expression necessary possible probable Complete Term List

 

Dictionary Definition from Wordnet

1. (23) expression, look, aspect, facial expression, face -- (the feelings expressed on a person's face; "a sad expression"; "a look of triumph"; "an angry face") 2. (18) expression, manifestation, reflection, reflexion -- (expression without words; "tears are an expression of grief"; "the pulse is a reflection of the heart's condition") 3. (15) expression, verbal expression, verbalism -- (the communication (in speech or writing) of your beliefs or opinions; "expressions of good will"; "he helped me find verbal expression for my ideas"; "the idea was immediate but the verbalism took hours") 4. (6) saying, expression, locution -- (a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations; "pardon the expression") 5. (4) formulation, expression -- (the style of expressing yourself; "he suggested a better formulation"; "his manner of expression showed how much he cared") 8. construction, grammatical construction, expression -- (a group of words that form a constituent of a sentence and are considered as a single unit; "I concluded from his awkward constructions that he was a foreigner")

 

 

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Working Definition:

An expression is the linguistic record of conceptualization or construal.

Disciplinary Definitions:

expression The pairing of a conceptualization and a vocalization, or the schematic representation of such a pairing. Linguistic expressions constitute a continuum, varying in level of specificity and contextual inclusiveness, that subsumes the tradi­tional "sentences" and "utterances" as special cases. [I.I.I;11.2.1] Langacker, Foundations of Cognitive Grammar

Comments:

See Dilthey's term, Ausdruck.

Notes

"For Schleiermacher every expression must be referred to an active generative source in the human mind, not simply to a set of formal rules of composition." (Ermarth, Wilhem Dilthey, 1981, 244) NOTE HOW CLOSELY THIS FOLLOWS LEE'S REMARKS -- see Lee, Cognitive Linguistics, 2004. 1.

"The metaphorical structuring of concepts is necessarily partial and is reflected in the lexicon of the language, including the phrasal lexicon, which contains fixed-form expressions such as "to be without foundation." Because concepts are metaphorically structured in a systematic way, e.g., THEORIES ARE BUILDINGS, it is possible for us to use expressions (construct, foundation) from one domain (BUILDINGS) to talk about corresponding concepts in the metaphorically defined domain (THEORIES). " (Lakoff and Johnson, Metaphors We Live By, 1984, 52)

Lakoff surely offers an example of configuring. But his example is a statement rather than a narration.

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jjs

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