In and Out: Senses and Meaning Extension of Mandarin Spatial Terms nei and wai

This paper explores the semantic properties and extension paths of modern Mandarin Chinese spatial terms nei4內‘in, inside’ and wai4外‘out, outside’. Their symmetric and asymmetric contrasts are accounted for with idealized cognitive models (ICMs) and metonymic models. These models are used to delineate the core meaning and main meaning extension routes of nei4 and wai4: from the area of a region to the length of the radius or side, and then to distance. Locations of the observer, marked foci, container metaphors and social backgrounds also contribute to the asymmetry of the two terms. The synchronic difference between nei4 and wai4 can also be attributed to diachronic changes.