Semantic features of the dependent word in temporal prepositional expressions

This paper analyzes the semantic features and constraints in the selection of dependent words in temporal prepositional expressions. The study is based on the assumptions of the theory of conceptual metaphor and metonymy, conceptual semantics, and semantic selection. The analysis shows that temporal nouns dominate as dependent words, whereas nouns without temporal meaning are rarer and mostly occur in metaphorical contexts. Semantic constraints on noun selection are explained by conceptual compatibility between the meaning of the preposition and that of the noun within cognitive models of time. Some prepositions select temporal nouns, while others can also combine with non-temporal nouns, depending on their semantic breadth and conceptual framework. The processes of grammaticalization and phraseologization also influence the constraints and possibilities of combining prepositions and nouns in temporal expressions. It is concluded that semantic constraints are not arbitrary but cognitively motivated.