Cognitive grammar concepts applied to motion in cinematographic shots
Cognitive grammar concepts applied to motion in cinematographic shots

Summary/Abstract: Motion can be conceived as a relationship established between two entities (a trajector and a landmark). Motion and entities are conceptualizations. As posited by the cognitive grammar framework two low-level conceptualizations can be adjoined or juxtaposed in order to construct a high-level conceptualization, a conceptual construction. Between the two component elements categorization relationships are possible. For exemplification I chose a swish pan shot from The Shining (Stanley Kubrick, 1980). The motion structures the scene in which Jack breaks with an axe the door-obstacle that obstructs his access to the victim, his wife Wendy. The motion and the entity are conceptualizations that elaborate schematic elements (e.g., elaboration sites or e-sites) that are belonging within the conceptualization of each component. For instance, a type of motion elaborates the e-site of the emotional goal-concept of “anger” present in the conceptualization of the human entity performing the action. In this case “running” elaborates “anger” and not “fear”.Using the terminology of head vs. modifier / complement we can describe several types of conceptual constructions applied to the perceived motion of an entity. The viewer, by phase transition, can choose as foregrounded figure either the movement (the motion pole) or the entity (the object pole). Each construal designs different paths of access inherent of the dynamic conceptualization. A circular loop is instantiated between the movement that explains the character’s state of mind and the character’s state of mind that explains the kind of movement displayed. Both are instantiations that help construct the goal-concept of “anger” in a physical motion event. The same theoretical framework is used in order to describe the motion perceived at the object pole, i.e., the diegetic object moves inside the frame, or the movement of the image pole, i.e., the screen frame exhibits motion.

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