THE NOTION OF SEQUENTIALITY IN LANGUAGE: AN INVESTIGATION IN COGNITIVE SEMANTICS

This research aims to clarify the concept of sequentiality in language: the case in which a number of things occur one after the other, as seen in phrases like a queue of customers, a strand of programs and a fleet of cars. Utilizing Langacker's theory of Cognitive Semantics, the study seeks to substantiate two claims. The first is that the meaning of a linguistic expression is understood in terms of the domain in which it is embedded. The second is that the meaning of a linguistic expression is the outcome of the specific construal imposed on its content. The paper proposes that the choice of a sequential phrase is influenced by how the speaker perceives and describe a situation. The study intends to demonstrate that each sequential phrase carries a unique meaning that sets it apart from others. When two or more sequential phrases modify a noun, they indicate semantic contrast, with each phrase offering a different perspective. The findings show that sequential phrases have distinct functions and are distinguishable in their usage through examples provided.