Causative Semantics in English Phraseological Units with Verbs from Semantic Fields of “Push” and “Pull”

Abstract

This paper investigates the representation of causative semantics in English phraseological units (PUs) containing verbs from the semantic fields of “push” and “pull.” The study employs a combination of descriptive and interpretative methods, including definitional, componential, and etymological analysis, as well as elements of contextual analysis and the method of semantic explication. A semantic typology of causative relations is proposed, encompassing direct and indirect causation (instrumental and mediated), autocausation (reflexive, partitive, and possessive), and mixed types. The findings reveal that PUs with verbs from the “push” semantic field are more likely to retain causative semantics, whereas those with verbs from the “pull” field demonstrate a tendency toward the loss of this semantic component. The preservation of causative semantics is shown to be conditioned by the actualization of features of the causative action and the opposition of participants in the situation based on volitionality. Conversely, the loss of the causative component arises when non-causative elements of the prototypical situation are foregrounded, a phenomenon particularly characteristic of PUs with an initial semantics of autocausation or conventionalized prototypical scenarios. It is established that the mechanism of metaphorization is determined by the specifics of the prototypical situation’s semantics and is realized through a complex of features, including implications and associations with negative evaluative connotations.