Fictive motion is the metaphorical motion of an object or abstraction through space. Fictive motion has become a subject of study in psycholinguistics and cognitive linguistics. In fictive motion sentences, a motion verb applies to a subject that is not literally capable of movement in the physical world, as in the sentence, "The fence runs along the perimeter of the house." Fictive motion is so called because it is attributed to material states, objects, or abstract concepts, that cannot (sensibly) be said to move themselves through physical space. Fictive motion sentences are pervasive in English and other languages.
Read more about Fictive Motion: History, Influence On Perception of Time
Famous quotes containing the words fictive and/or motion:
“The lovelorn: knowing the fictive nature of their misery does not ease their suffering.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“Speech belongs half to the speaker, half to the listener. The latter must prepare to receive it according to the motion it takes.”
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–1592)