Salient ontological categories are found in the semantic distinctions of several languages. A distinction in the search domain of 'superior' in terms of [± contact] is attested across languages (cf. German auf vs. über). Although there are languages that lack this distinction - e.g. Mixtec (Mexico: Oto-Manguean)-, the following implication holds: if a language subcategorizes the domain of 'superior' it is most probable, that distinguishes [+ contact] from [- contact].
However, different languages use different lexicalization patterns to implement identical ontological distinctions (s. Talmy 2000:21-23). For example, German uses the opposition between two morphemes for expressing the [± contact] distinction, Ewe (Ghana: Niger-Congo) uses the opposition between a juxtapositional and a possessive construction (Ameka 1995:149-150), etc.
This paper focuses on the impact of lexicalization patterns on ontological knowledge. Since the expressions used for the implementation of identical categories originate in syntactically and semantically different constructions, it is assumed that different constructional implementations of these categories also imply semantic diversity, i.e. different constructions focus on different perspectives of the same categories. Diachronic evidence from Greek illustrates the evolution of lexicalization patterns through time. In ancient Greek, an opposition between two prepositions expresses the distinction in terms of [± contact] in the domain of 'superior' (German type). Especially in archaic Greek, the same semantic distinction also appears in the opposition of two cases (dative vs. accusative). In Middle Greek, the spatial prepositional subclass is replaced by a spatial adverbial subclass that lacks this distinction. In this phase, Greek does not implement the ontological category of [± contact] in the domain of 'superior' (Mixtec type). Modern Greek witnesses the development of constructions [adverb+preposition], that are based on a long paradigm of spatial adverbs, denoting several search domains, and an opposition of two primary prepositions, fulfilling respectively the functions of a dative and a genitive. This opposition - despite having different semantic effects in the context of individual adverbs - is used in combination with the adverb of 'superior' to re-introduce the distinction between [± contact] (a pattern similar to the Ewe type).
Ameka, Felix (1995): "The linguistic construction of space in Ewe." Cognitive Linguistics 6(2/3):139-181.
Talmy, Leonard (2000): Toward a Cognitive Semantics. Vol.2: Typology and Process in concept structuring. Cambridge, MA, London: MIT Press.
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