Derivatives of the verb paść/padać corresponding to non-locative uses of the french verb tomber

Joanna Cholewa

Uniwersytet w Białymstoku

Abstract

The article presents the verb paść/padać and its derivatives that are Polish equivalents of the French verb tomber in non-locative uses. A purpose of the considerations is to verify whether in the meanings of these derivatives we can find semantic elements of a vertical orientation and a downward direction which are present in the locative uses of both the verb tomber and its Polish equivalents. An abstract movement (the notion used by Langacker) alongside a vertical axis may be conceptualized, for instance, as a decrease in the measure or intensity, degradation of a state, disintegration, decomposition or subordination. 11 out of 15 verbs presented therein contain such semantic elements.

Keywords:

the Polish language, the French language, a verb, derivation