Counterparts and connectors
In order to explain how different mental spaces are linked to one another, we begin by exploring the idea that elements within different mental spaces can be linked. Elements in different spaces are linked by connectors which set up mappings between counter partelements. Counterparts are established on the basis of pragmatic function: when two (or more) elements in different mental spaces have a related pragmatic function, they are counterparts. One salient type of pragmatic function is identity. For instance, in Ian Fleming’s novels, James Bond is the name of the fictional British spy character and 007 is the code name used by the British Secret Service (MI6) to identify this spy. The pragmatic function relating the entities referred to as James Bond and 007 is co-reference or identity. In other words, both expressions refer to the same individual and together form a chain of reference. Elements in different mental spaces that are co-referential (counterparts related by identity) are linked by an identity connector. To illustrate the linking of counterparts in two separate mental spaces by an identity connector, consider example (4).
Each sentence in (4) sets up its own mental space, although it is not always the case that every sentence gives rise to its own mental space. We only need to set up a new mental space if the utterance contains a new space builder. As this example illustrates, not every mental space is introduced by an explicit space builder. For example, the base space introduced by the first sentence in (4) is established by our background knowledge that James Bond is a fictional char acter in the book or movie being described. The expression James Bond induces the schema that is associated with this knowledge. This shows that background knowledge can function as an implicit space builder. If this space builder were made explicit, the sentence might begin In the book. . . .When a mental space lacks an explicit space builder, it does not receive a label like PLAY or BOOK because this information is implicit.
In the first sentence in (4), the first mental space is set up by the introduction of the element corresponding to the name James Bond. This entity is assigned the property introduced by the indefinite NP a top British spy, which describes James Bond rather than introducing a separate entity because the two expressions are connected by is. This mental space is the base space. In the second sentence, the PP in the war is a space builder which constructs a new WAR space. This mental space also features an element, introduced by he, which also has a property assigned to it, an officer in the Royal Navy. Notice that he refers to the same person as James Bond. In linguistics, the process whereby one expression relies on another for full interpretation is called anaphora. The dependent expression (he) is called an anaphor and the expression it relies upon for its meaning (James Bond) is called the antecedent. The establishment of a link between an anaphor and an antecedent is a type of inference, an interpretation we ‘work out’ on the basis of establishing coreference between the two expressions. Anaphora relies on inference because an expression like he, unlike the name James Bond, lacks the semantic properties to uniquely define its referent: it could in principle refer to any male entity. This means that the hearer has to ‘work out’ which entity it refers to by searching the context for a likely candidate.
