Applying Fillmore’s Cognitive approach to determine Semantic Framesof Persian verbs: A case study of verb “šodan”(to become)

Fillmore's “Frame theory” (1982) suggests a major principle in Cognitive Semantics that believes the meanings of words are perceived within a system of knowledge arising from the human's cultural experience. It maintains that “Semantic Frames” display sections of an event used for connecting a group of words to a set of meanings. Verbs are present as the most important element in most of the situations of an event and play significant role in the interpretation of the meaning. The purpose of this study is to present a quantitative and corpus-based analysis in order to recognize the semantic frames of “∫odæn” (to become) in Persian within the framework of this theory. Thus, 14 semantic frames were recognized using encyclopedias, Persian contemporary corpora and FrameNet. Then, the concept of “tæɁɢir-e hαlæt dαdæn” (to turn to a state) was determined as the prototype of this verb and the main frame was created.