The Interplay of Synonymy and Polysemy

95 | 
(CdE:19-F, Hijo de ladrón) 
(115) Tome de aquí; eso es; 
TIRE
para allá
. 
Usted
: 
TIRE 
para acá
. Bien, el palo. Levanten. 
‘Grab here: that’s it; 
PULL
that way
. You: 
PULL
this way
. Good, the stick. Lift.’ 
This dropping of the 
MOVANT
occurs both in the 
THROWING
sense and in the 
PULL 
sense. Since the 
MOVANT 
is made clear by the context, it can be left unexpressed in a specific 
sentence. In (114), the darts are mentioned earlier. Therefore, in the final sentence it is clear 
what is being thrown. It is also possible that the 
tirar
in this case instantiates the 
SHOOT 
(
SPORTS
) schema. Darts are part of a game or sport and they can fit this schema where 
expressing the 
MOVANT
is optional. Having one analysis or motivation does not preclude the 
existence of another and in fact both may be at play (Tuggy 1985b).
In (115), the interlocutors are aware of the element being pulled. Again, since context 
can fill in all the participants, the 
MOVANT 
is not expressed. It is also possible that the 
appearance of the prepositional phrase 
para acá
‘this way’ plays a role (See §4.3.6). 
4.2.7 Summary 
The 
throw-
verbs are polysemous. They each express several different types of 
notions. These extensions in meaning can be captured with schemas that specify the 
participant roles that are required in each and the semantics of the entire construction. The 
MOVANTS
are especially relevant to meaning, because it is often the case that a specific 
MOVANT
or semantic class of 
MOVANTS
is associated to a particular meaning.
This section (§4.2) showed that each verb tends to be used frequently in a small set of 
construction types which are associated with specific type of 
MOVANTS
. 
Arrojar
is used 
mostly in the 
THROWING 
construction explaining its attraction for physical inanimate 
MOVANTS
. But the 
PRODUCING DATA 
construction was fairly frequent and an important part of 
the behavior of this verb. 
Lanzar
for the most part appears in a variety of light verb constructions expressing 
human interaction. For that reason it strongly attracts nonphysical 
MOVANTS
. 
Lanzar 
also 
appears in sentences that describe throwing oneself to a place or to an action (the inchoative 
phrases). 
Lanzar 
is only rarely used in the 
THROWING 
schema, hence the very low occurrence 
of physical animate 
MOVANTS
. 
Tirar
is used very often to express the 
THROWING 
schema, though it has a few other 
meaning extensions. 
Tirar
is the verb with the highest attraction to physical inanimate 
MOVANTS
. It generally does not appear in LVCs, though the 
HITS
schema indicates that it can 
appear in LVCs, and combine with nonphysical 
MOVANTS
,
though very limitedly.

---

96 | 
The behavior of 
echar
is quite distinct from the other verbs. Instead of attracting a 
specific type of 
MOVANT
, it is split almost equally across the three types. 
Echar 
is more 
characterized by the variety of semi-fixed phrases that it can appear in. It also appears in 
some LVCs, especially in the 
BLAME 
and 
LOOKS 
schema. It is often used in the inchoative 
periphrasis. I also argue that the central 
THROWING
schema for 
echar 
differs in important 
ways from the other 
throw-
verbs, especially concerning the amount of strength or force.
Each verb tends to appear with high frequency in a small set of schemas. But the data 
also makes evident that there are a variety of lower-frequency schemas associated with the 
throw
-verbs. For example, 
tirar 
can mean ‘to slam (a door)’ and ‘to print’ and 
echar 
can 
mean ‘to pour’ and forms several idiomatic phrases that mean ‘to ruin’. There are many 
different types of meanings associated with different types of participants that are part of the 
behavior of each verb.
The data also show cases of functional synonymy; where two or more verbs can be 
used in the same or similar schema. Functional synonymy indicates that in certain cases the 
verbs have uses that overlap. For example, 
arrojar, echar 
and 
tirar 
can be used in the 
BANISHMENT 
schemas; 
arrojar, echar 
and 
lanzar 
are used in the 
LOOKS 
schema. Their 
meaning may not be identical, but the verbs can function in similar types of sentences and 
express similar situations.
For the majority of the meanings seen in the data, I have maintained that the 
associated schemas are connected to the central 
THROWING
schema by extension links. The 
extension links capture the fact that there are semantic traits that are maintained. The 
throw-
verbs mostly express motion. The most common is motion to a new location. This can be 
seen in the 
THROWING 
schema, the 
PULLING 
schema and in 
echar
when it means ‘to put/pour’. 
In the 
BANISHMENT 
schemas there is motion (whether immediate or delayed) out of or away 
from a location. Movement also occurs when 
echar
is used to describe the growth of plant 
parts. For example, when roots grow they extend; this is a type movement. Physical 
movement can also be seen in the 
HITS 
schema, where the arm must move in order to 
complete the hit. 
Then, the data shows several types of abstract motion. In the 
LOOKS
and 
SOUNDS
schemas, and even in the 
POLITICS 
schemas, there is an element that is directed towards 
another. Looks are directed to another individual or to a location. Obviously looks do not 
literally move through space, but they are conceived in such terms. An action directed at a 
person is understood as an object given to that person (Goldberg 1995:94). It is also possible 

---

97 | 
for the motion verbs to express the beginning of an action. This is seen in the inchoative 
phrases, which is discussed in §4.3.5.