Speaker: Dr. Silvia Luraghi, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.Title: Asymmetries in Italian temperature terminology.Date: 29th April, 2015 (Wednesday).Time: 3.00 pmVenue: Seminar Hall, Department of HSS.Abstract:The Italian system of temperature terminology features the basic termscaldo ‘hot’ and freddo ‘cold’, two intermediate terms, tiepido

warm’ and fresco ‘cool’, and two terms for extreme temperature,bollente ‘very hot’ and gelato ‘ice-cold’, and might lookremarkably symmetrical. However, a closer inspection uncovers a number ofasymmetries, regarding both the intermediate and the extreme terms. It isargued that such asymmetries depend on perceptual and experiential factorsthat constitute the basis for conceptualisation of different degrees oftemperature. In addition, data on usage and frequency point toward aspecial status of fresco with respect to other temperature terms. Adiachronic survey of changes in the history of temperature terminologyfrom Latin to Italian indicates that this is a result of the lateintroduction of this term, which was accompanied by a thoroughrestructuring of the system of temperature terms.About the Speaker:Dr. Silvia Luraghi is Associate Professor of Linguistics at the Universityof Pavia, Italy, where she has been teaching several courses in generaland historical linguistics, with a focus on Indo-European linguistics. Sheis currently the co-editor of Benjamins' Journal of HistoricalLingusitics, which she founded in 2010 together with Johanna Barddal. Herpresent research projects include argument structure in Ancient Greek,gender systems, and the syntax of clitics in a discourse perspective.