The Interplay of Synonymy and Polysemy

134 | 
Figure 22a
. The beginning of a throwing 
event. 
Figure 22b
. A pulling event.
In a sense, a phrase such as 
de un cordón
‘from a string’ is both a 
MOVANT 
and a 
DIRECTIONAL
. In essence and in structure the phrase is a 
DIRECTIONAL
. The phrase helps to 
transfer from a meaning of throwing to one of throwing from a specific place to one of 
pulling. Since the construction has become conventionalized, the 
de 
phrase may no longer be 
viewed strictly as a 
DIRECTIONAL
, but as the object directly affected, which permits the 
analysis of it being a 
MOVANT
.
It is also worthy of note that most of the objects that are pulled in the data set are 
elongated in shape. Examples include 
vara 
‘pole’, 
riendas 
‘reins’, 
pelos 
‘hair(s)’, 
cordón
‘string’, 
brazo
‘arm’
29
. The trajectory of motion of an object can be conceived of as an 
(invisible) line that marks each step of the movement. In cases where there is an elongated 
object, such as a cord, the object itself occupies this line of motion. It is no longer an invisible 
line, but instead the 
MOVANT
takes up the space of the trajectory. In that sense, these 
elongated objects are the 
MOVANTS
and also physically mark the 
DIRECTIONAL
.
This analysis helps explain why sentences with two affected individuals are 
compatible with the verb. In (211), 
de las riendas 
‘from the reins’ can be understood as the 
DIRECTIONAL
and the phrase 
el caballo
‘the horse’ can be understood as the 
MOVANT
. Of 
course, there is always a part-whole relationship between these two arguments. The 
DIRECTIONAL 
(e.g. the reins) is always a part of the whole 
MOVANT
(e.g. the horse). By virtue 
of this part-whole relationship, it is enough to express the 
DIRECTIONAL
, since it implicitly 
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There are some examples that do not seem quite as elongated, such as 
pestaña de la lata
‘tab on a can’ and 
mano 
‘hand’. 

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135 | 
evokes the whole object that is moved. That is why most sentences with pull only mention 
one element.
The fact that sentences in the 
PULLING 
schema do not usually include a trajectory of 
motion can also be explained. Sentences do not usually have a 
DIRECTIONAL
because the 
de 
phrase is understood as fulfilling that role. When there is no 
de 
phrase, as in (212), a 
DIRECTIONAL
can be included.