Bridging the gap: toward a cognitive semantic analysis of the Lithuanian superlexical prefix be-

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Figure/Ground; Cognitive semantics; Epistemic; Prefixes; Superlexical.

ENThe present article explores the Lithuanian aspectual prefix be- from a cognitive perspective while building on the generative syntactic approach to be- as a superlexical prefix. The prefix be- is peculiar in that, while being able to stack on lower, the so-called lexical, prefixes, it is used to form a number of constructions, most notably those with continuative, prospective, or modality readings. In addition, it forms two separable compound prefixes, the continuative tebe- and discontinuative nebe-. Building on previous cognitive examinations of the English progressive and Slavic prefixation and incorporating the Ontological Semantic inventory of modalities, the prefix is approached in light of the Figure/ Ground distinction as well as the notion of epistemicity. The article focuses on the relationship holding between the prefix and modality-shaded meanings. [From the publication]