In this paper I intend to undertake the analysis of Langacker's concept of PROFILING and investigate its function at discourse level. Specifically, I would address contextual polysemy and variations in use of some prefixes ( za–, v–, pro–) which not only depict the images or schemata of motion, but also convey information about the speech participants.
I will use the material from Russian films (both video–images and texts) which point to a peculiar correlation between the meaning of a prefix and discourse identity of the speaker. Thus, in Sluzhebnyj Roman a secretary, Vera, following the order of the director, ask A. E. Novosel'cev to come see the director via intercom:
(1) Vera: Anatalij Efremovich!
It is unthinkable to translate
In the next episode, Novosel'cev timidly stands near the door in the secretary's room afraid to enter the director's office. Vera encourages him, saying:
(2 a) Vera:
(2b) *Zaxodite. Zaxodite, ne bojtes'!
The striking feature of the unacceptable (2b) is in the immediate change of the speaker's role: if Vera used "zaxodite," she would step out of her secretary's role and assume that of the director.
"Profiling" of the same event in a different way is illustrated in (3), an episode from Rebro Adama, in which a deceived wife is talking to her husband's deceived lover:
(3) Oni
How much of "profiling" (e.g.,
In this study, I will present an overview of visual and textual data showing contextual features contributing to the speaker's conceptualization both of the event and of the discourse situation.