Why in Spanish “nos ponemos contentos” but not “satisfechos”:a cognitive-linguistic review of the“change-of-state verb ponerse+adjective” construction

Abstract

Constructionist approaches to language have often viewed metaphorsand metonymies either as motivating factors or constraints on lexical-constructional integration (Goldberg 1995, 2006; the Lexical-ConstructionalModel: Butler & Gonz alvez 2014, Gonz alvez 2020, Ruiz de Mendoza &Mairal 2008, Ruiz de Mendoza & Galera 2014). In a similar spirit, the presentarticle provides a detailed study of the role of metaphor in the analysis of theSpanish resultative change-of-state construction “ponerse (‘put CL’)+adjective”by examining a list of metaphorical motion constructions of this kind, which arefrequent in everyday language when describing temporary arousal states. Bypaying special attention to constraints in its lexical and constructional structure,we aim to examine whether the metaphorA CHANGE OF TEMPORARY STATE IS ACHANGE OF TEMPORARY LOCATIONis attested in this type of construction in theSpanish language (i.e., whether it plays a role and, if so, of what kind). It ispresumed that the metaphors under analysis in connection to “ponerse+adjective” constructions systematically motivate the meaning of this change-of-state verb in Spanish when coappearing with an evaluative adjective, as long asthe fact that the latter profiles a normally temporary (short duration) arousalstate