Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
2 Professor of Linguistics Department, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
Abstract
According to the embodied mathematics hypothesis, based on the cognitive linguistics’ concepts, the origin of mathematics is human embodiment, and therefore mathematical Platonism and similar descriptions, which assume the existence of mathematics independent of humans, can only have a religious position and not a scientific one. In this research, due to the embodied mathematics, the role and effects of the vertical dimension in the formation of space image schema and its influences on language and also the geometric concept of vertical dimension have been discussed. Considering the influence of the gravity on the space image schema and therefore the asymmetry in human physical perception of the height, not only the image schemas of space, force and container are influenced by the vertical dimension, but also the role of this dimension in the formation of metaphors and conceptual blending is prominent too, and it is considered a significant element in the formation of geometrical-mathematical concepts that arise from embodiment. Considering that the perceptual world has a three-dimensional structure consisting of the vertical dimension, in this research, reducing or increasing of this geometric dimension and its effect on space image schema and language expressions have been analyzed. The role of the vertical dimension in mathematical concepts can be described based on linguistic intuition, and examples of this effect have been discussed. Based on this analysis, reducing or increasing the spatial dimension is not only effective on the conceptual system, but also on the linguistic structure and related mathematical concepts.
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