Transition Namespace

Core Definition

Transition frames foreground the TELIC ROLE with emphasis on the path or trajectory connecting states, locations, or conditions. These frames center on entities moving through space or changing along dimensions, profiling the directed motion or process of change rather than just the starting or ending points. The essence of transition is the traversal itself - the journey, not just the destination.

Theoretical foundation: Transitions encode the template:

MOVE(Theme, FROM(Source), TO(Goal), ALONG(Path), via_Manner)

Where:

• Theme: The moving or changing entity
• Source: Starting point/state (optional, can be implicit)
• Goal: Endpoint/destination (optional, can be implicit)
• Path: The trajectory or route connecting Source to Goal
• Manner: How the movement occurs (optional)

Key characteristics:

• Path-centric: The trajectory is semantically prominent
• Directionality: Movement has inherent direction (from → to)
• Bounded: Movement toward or away from boundaries
• Theme-focused: Moving entity is primary participant
• Telic (usually): Movement toward goal/endpoint

Vendler aspectual class: Accomplishments (durative with directed endpoint)

Talmy's Motion Event typology: Transitions are prototypical MOTION events, encoding Figure (Theme), Ground (Path/Goal), Motion, and optionally Manner.

Path Structure: Source-Path-Goal Organization

The fundamental structure of transitions involves three spatial/abstract components:

The SOURCE-PATH-GOAL Schema

Image schema (Johnson 1987, Lakoff 1987): A basic cognitive structure organizing our understanding of motion and change.

Components:

SOURCE (Origin/Starting Point):

• Where Theme begins
• Marked by: de (from), desde (from/since)
• Often optional/backgrounded

PATH (Trajectory/Route):

• Route Theme traverses
• Marked by: por (through), através de (through/across), ao longo de (along)
• Can be elaborated or unspecified

GOAL (Destination/Endpoint):

• Where Theme ends up
• Marked by: para/a (to), até (until/up to)
• Often obligatory/foregrounded

Examples:

Full SOURCE-PATH-GOAL structure:

João foi [DE São Paulo] [ATRAVÉS DE Belo Horizonte] [PARA o Rio]
(João went [FROM São Paulo] [THROUGH Belo Horizonte] [TO Rio])

SOURCE: de São Paulo (from São Paulo)
PATH: através de Belo Horizonte (through Belo Horizonte)
GOAL: para o Rio (to Rio)

Minimal structures (components can be omitted):

João foi para o Rio (João went to Rio)
- Goal only, Source and Path implicit

João saiu de casa (João left home)
- Source only, Goal and Path implicit

João passou pela praça (João passed through the square)
- Path only, Source and Goal implicit

Profiling Patterns: What Gets Foregrounded?

Different transition verbs profile (make salient) different components:

GOAL-profiling verbs (most common):

• ir (go), vir (come), chegar (arrive), entrar (enter)
• Goal is obligatory or strongly preferred
• Source and Path backgrounded

✓ João foi para casa (João went home) - Goal obligatory
✗ *João foi (João went) - ungrammatical without Goal or context
✓ João chegou ao Brasil (João arrived in Brazil) - Goal required

SOURCE-profiling verbs:

• sair (leave/exit), partir (depart), emergir (emerge)
• Source is obligatory or strongly preferred
• Goal backgrounded

✓ João saiu de casa (João left home) - Source required
✗ *João saiu para o trabalho (odd - "saiu" doesn't naturally take Goal)
✓ João partiu de São Paulo (João departed from São Paulo)

PATH-profiling verbs:

• passar (pass), atravessar (cross), percorrer (traverse)
• Path is obligatory
• Source and Goal can be unspecified

✓ João passou pela praça (João passed through the square) - Path required
✓ João atravessou a rua (João crossed the street) - Path required
✓ João percorreu todo o país (João traveled throughout the country) - Path extended

SOURCE-GOAL verbs (transition from X to Y):

• mudar (move/change), transferir (transfer), passar (pass/move from-to)
• Both Source and Goal relevant
• Path less emphasized

✓ A propriedade passou de João para Maria
(The property passed from João to Maria)
- Source: de João (from João)
- Goal: para Maria (to Maria)

✓ João mudou de São Paulo para o Rio
(João moved from São Paulo to Rio)
- Source: de São Paulo
- Goal: para o Rio

Path Elaboration vs. Path Backgrounding

Transitions vary in whether the Path can be elaborated or remains schematic:

Elaboratable Path

Verbs that allow detailed specification of route:

João foi de São Paulo para o Rio [PASSANDO por Belo Horizonte e Brasília]
(João went from SP to Rio passing through BH and Brasília)

Maria caminhou [AO LONGO DA praia, ATRAVÉS DO parque, ATÉ a montanha]
(Maria walked along the beach, through the park, up to the mountain)

Path elaboration markers:

• por (through): João passou por Minas
• através de (across/through): atravessou através do deserto
• ao longo de (along): caminhou ao longo do rio
• via (via): viajou via Paris

Backgrounded/Schematic Path

Some verbs have implied but unelaborated Path:

João chegou ao Rio (João arrived in Rio)
- Path implicit (João traveled somehow but route not specified)
- Cannot elaborate: ✗ *João chegou através de Minas (odd)

Maria entrou na casa (Maria entered the house)
- Path: crossing boundary into house (minimal, not elaboratable)
- Cannot elaborate: ✗ *Maria entrou através do jardim na casa (odd)

Domain Specificity: Physical vs. Abstract Transitions

Transition frames apply across multiple domains via metaphorical extension from spatial motion.

Physical/Spatial Motion (Concrete)

Definition: Literal movement of entities through physical space.

Semantic template: MOVE_PHYSICAL(Theme, FROM(Location₁), TO(Location₂), ALONG(Spatial_Path))

Subtypes

a) Translational motion (change of location):

João foi de casa para o trabalho
(João went from home to work)

Maria viajou para a Europa
(Maria traveled to Europe)

O carro moveu-se pela rua
(The car moved through the street)

b) Vertical motion:

O balão subiu ao céu
(The balloon rose to the sky)

A pedra caiu no chão
(The stone fell to the ground)

O avião decolou
(The plane took off)

c) Boundary-crossing motion:

João entrou na casa
(João entered the house - crossing boundary inward)

Maria saiu da sala
(Maria left the room - crossing boundary outward)

Pedro atravessou a fronteira
(Pedro crossed the border)

d) Manner-of-motion:

João correu até a escola
(João ran to school - running manner + Goal)

Maria nadou para a ilha
(Maria swam to the island - swimming manner + Goal)

Pedro dançou pela sala
(Pedro danced through the room - dancing manner + Path)

Properties

• Theme has physical existence and location
• Path is physical space
• Movement observable/verifiable
• Can be tracked frame-by-frame

Abstract Transitions: Possession Transfer

Definition: Transfer of ownership, control, or possession between entities.

Semantic template: TRANSFER(Theme, FROM(Source_Possessor), TO(Goal_Recipient))

Examples:

a) Object transfer (giving/taking):

João deu o livro para Maria
(João gave the book to Maria)
- Theme: o livro (the book)
- Source: João (from João's possession)
- Goal: Maria (to Maria's possession)

Maria passou a bola para Pedro
(Maria passed the ball to Pedro)

b) Ownership transfer:

A propriedade passou de João para Pedro
(The property passed from João to Pedro)

O título transferiu-se para o comprador
(The title transferred to the buyer)

c) Abstract entity transfer:

O poder passou para o novo governo
(Power passed to the new government)

A responsabilidade foi para a gerência
(Responsibility went to management)

Metaphorical mapping:

• Possession = Location: Having something = something being at you
• Change of possession = Motion: Transfer = movement from one location (possessor) to another
• Recipient = Goal: Person receiving = destination

Abstract Transitions: State Change

Definition: Movement along abstract dimensions or between states.

Semantic template: CHANGE(Theme, FROM(State₁), TO(State₂), ALONG(Abstract_Dimension))

Subtypes

a) Property scale transitions (degree achievements):

A temperatura subiu de 20° para 30°
(The temperature rose from 20° to 30°)
- Dimension: temperature scale
- Source: 20°
- Goal: 30°

O preço caiu de R$100 para R$50
(The price fell from R$100 to R$50)
- Dimension: value/price scale

b) Condition/status transitions:

João passou de estudante a professor
(João went from student to professor)
- Dimension: professional status
- Source state: estudante
- Goal state: professor

Maria mudou de solteira para casada
(Maria changed from single to married)
- Dimension: marital status

c) Emotional/psychological transitions:

João passou da alegria ao desespero
(João went from joy to despair)
- Dimension: emotional scale

Maria transitou da confiança para a dúvida
(Maria transitioned from confidence to doubt)

d) Life stage transitions:

A criança passou da infância para a adolescência
(The child passed from childhood to adolescence)

João foi de jovem a velho
(João went from young to old)

Metaphorical mapping:

• States = Locations: Being in a state = being at a location
• Change of state = Motion: Changing state = moving from one location to another
• Abstract dimension = Path: Scale/continuum = spatial path

Abstract Transitions: Information/Message Transfer

Definition: Communication and information flow between entities.

Semantic template: COMMUNICATE(Message, FROM(Source), TO(Goal), via_Channel)

Examples:

a) Verbal communication:

João disse a verdade para Maria
(João told the truth to Maria)
- Theme: a verdade (the truth - information)
- Source: João (sender)
- Goal: Maria (receiver)

A notícia chegou aos jornais
(The news reached the newspapers)

b) Written communication:

João enviou uma carta para Pedro
(João sent a letter to Pedro)

A mensagem foi para o destinatário
(The message went to the recipient)

c) Abstract information flow:

A ideia passou de geração em geração
(The idea passed from generation to generation)

O conhecimento foi transmitido aos alunos
(Knowledge was transmitted to the students)

Metaphorical mapping:

• Information = Object: Ideas/messages = transferable entities
• Communication = Transfer: Communicating = sending/moving information
• Recipient = Goal: Listener/reader = destination

Abstract Transitions: Category Membership

Definition: Movement between categories, classifications, or types.

Semantic template: RECLASSIFY(Theme, FROM(Category₁), TO(Category₂))

Examples:

a) Taxonomic reclassification:

Plutão passou de planeta para planeta anão
(Pluto went from planet to dwarf planet)
- Source category: planeta
- Goal category: planeta anão

O tomate foi de vegetal para fruta (na classificação)
(The tomato went from vegetable to fruit in classification)

b) Status/role change:

João passou de funcionário para gerente
(João went from employee to manager)

Maria transitou de estudante para profissional
(Maria transitioned from student to professional)

Manner vs. Path Conflation: Portuguese Encoding Patterns

Languages differ in how they encode Manner (how motion occurs) and Path (trajectory/direction) in motion verbs. This is crucial for understanding Portuguese transition frames.

Talmy's Typology: Verb-Framed vs. Satellite-Framed

Talmy (1985, 2000): Languages fall into two types:

Satellite-framed languages (Germanic: English, German):

• PATH expressed in satellite (particle, preposition)
• MANNER conflated in verb root

Verb-framed languages (Romance: Portuguese, Spanish, French):

• PATH conflated in verb root
• MANNER expressed separately (adverb, gerund, adjunct)

Portuguese as Verb-Framed Language

Portuguese pattern: Verb expresses PATH, Manner expressed separately

Examples:

English (Satellite-framed):

The bottle floated INTO the cave
- Manner: float (in verb)
- Path: into (in satellite)

Portuguese (Verb-framed):

A garrafa ENTROU na caverna FLUTUANDO
(The bottle entered the cave floating)
- Path: entrou (entered - in verb)
- Manner: flutuando (floating - in gerund/adjunct)

More contrasts:

English (Manner in verb)	Portuguese (Path in verb)
run out	sair correndo (exit running)
swim across	atravessar nadando (cross swimming)
dance into	entrar dançando (enter dancing)
fly away	partir voando (depart flying)
roll down	descer rolando (descend rolling)

Portuguese Manner-of-Motion Verbs

Portuguese does have some manner verbs, but they're less common and have restricted path-encoding:

Manner verbs (manner conflated):

• correr (run), nadar (swim), voar (fly), andar (walk), rastejar (crawl)

But: These typically need separate path expression:

✓ João correu PARA casa (João ran TO home)
  - Manner in verb: correr (run)
  - Path in PP: para casa (to home)

✓ Maria nadou ATÉ a ilha (Maria swam TO the island)
  - Manner in verb: nadar (swim)
  - Path in PP: até a ilha (to the island)

Contrast with English where path can be in particle:

English: João ran OUT (path in particle "out")
Portuguese: João saiu CORRENDO (path in verb "saiu", manner in gerund "correndo")

Path Verbs with Manner Adjuncts

The productive pattern in Portuguese: Path verb + Manner adjunct

Structure: [PATH_VERB] + [MANNER_GERUND/ADJUNCT]

Examples:

João SAIU CORRENDO de casa
(João exited running from home)
- Path: saiu (exited)
- Manner: correndo (running)

Maria ENTROU DANÇANDO na festa
(Maria entered dancing into the party)
- Path: entrou (entered)
- Manner: dançando (dancing)

O carro PASSOU ZUNINDO pela rua
(The car passed whizzing through the street)
- Path: passou (passed)
- Manner: zunindo (whizzing)

Pedro DESCEU ESCORREGANDO pela encosta
(Pedro descended sliding down the slope)
- Path: desceu (descended)
- Manner: escorregando (sliding)

Implications for FrameNet Brasil

For frame classification:

1. Path verbs (entrar, sair, subir, descer, passar, etc.) → Transition namespace

   • Core PATH semantics
   • Goal/Source orientation

2. Manner verbs (correr, nadar, voar, etc.) → More complex:

   • If used with Goal/Source → Transition namespace (path-directed motion)
   • If used without Goal/Source → Activity namespace (manner-focused activity)

Examples:

TRANSITION: João correu PARA casa (path-directed)
ACTIVITY: João correu (durante uma hora) (manner activity, no path)

3. Manner adjuncts (gerunds like correndo, nadando) → Should be marked as Manner FE, not separate frames

Boundary Crossing: Bounded vs. Unbounded Transitions

Transitions vary in whether they involve crossing a boundary or threshold.

Boundary-Crossing Transitions

Definition: Motion that involves crossing a discrete boundary or threshold, entering/exiting a bounded region.

Semantic structure: CROSS_BOUNDARY(Theme, FROM(Region₁), TO(Region₂))

Key property: Emphasizes the momentary crossing event at the boundary

Subtypes

a) Entry (crossing inward):

João entrou na casa
(João entered the house)
- Boundary: threshold of house
- Direction: outside → inside (inward)

Maria ingressou na universidade
(Maria entered the university - abstract)
- Boundary: membership threshold

b) Exit (crossing outward):

João saiu da sala
(João exited the room)
- Boundary: threshold of room
- Direction: inside → outside (outward)

Pedro deixou o país
(Pedro left the country)

c) Crossing (traversing):

João atravessou a fronteira
(João crossed the border)
- Boundary: border/frontier
- Direction: one side → other side

Maria transpôs a barreira
(Maria crossed over the barrier)

d) Penetration (entering substance/medium):

A faca penetrou na carne
(The knife penetrated the meat)
- Boundary: surface of meat
- Direction: outside → inside (with force)

O submarino submergiu na água
(The submarine submerged in the water)

Diagnostic features

1. Punctual or near-punctual: Boundary crossing is relatively instantaneous

   João entrou às 3h (João entered at 3pm - point in time)
   

2. Binary state change: Before crossing ≠ After crossing

   Before: João está fora (João is outside)
   Crossing: João entra (João enters)
   After: João está dentro (João is inside)
   

3. Incompatible with extended Path elaboration:

   ✗ *João entrou através de vários quartos na casa
   (odd - "enter" is about crossing threshold, not path through rooms)
   

4. Focus on threshold moment:

   • Path before/after boundary is backgrounded
   • The crossing itself is profiled

Non-Boundary (Unbounded) Transitions

Definition: Motion through open space without necessarily crossing discrete boundaries.

Semantic structure: MOVE_THROUGH(Theme, ALONG(Extended_Path))

Key property: Emphasizes continuous trajectory through space/domain

Examples:

a) Passing through (traversal):

João passou pelo parque
(João passed through the park)
- No discrete boundary crossing
- Continuous motion through space

Maria percorreu toda a cidade
(Maria traveled throughout the city)
- Extended, continuous path

b) Following path:

O rio segue pela montanha
(The river follows through the mountain)

A estrada vai de SP até o Rio
(The road goes from SP to Rio)

c) Wandering/roaming:

João vagou pelas ruas
(João wandered through the streets)
- No specific boundaries
- Diffuse, extended path

Maria perambulou pelo bairro
(Maria roamed through the neighborhood)

Diagnostic features

1. Durative: Takes time, not instantaneous

   João passou pelo parque durante uma hora
   (João passed through the park for an hour)
   

2. No binary state change: Gradual, continuous

   No sharp before/after distinction
   

3. Compatible with extended Path elaboration:

   ✓ João passou pela praça, através do mercado, ao longo do rio
   (João passed through the square, across the market, along the river)
   

4. Focus on trajectory:

   • The path itself is profiled
   • Boundaries (if any) are incidental

The Boundary Gradient

Some transitions involve partial or diffuse boundaries:

Examples:

Approaching (nearing boundary):

João aproximou-se da casa
(João approached the house)
- Moving toward boundary but not necessarily crossing

Departing (leaving vicinity):

João afastou-se da cidade
(João departed from the city)
- Leaving region around boundary

These are transitions but boundary-crossing is less definite.

Reversibility: Unidirectional vs. Bidirectional Transitions

Transitions vary in whether they can be reversed or are inherently unidirectional.

Bidirectional (Reversible) Transitions

Definition: Transitions that can occur in either direction, with explicit linguistic marking for each direction.

Semantic structure: Direction can be reversed without changing fundamental event type

Spatial reversibility:

Direction A	Direction B	Dimension
subir (go up)	descer (go down)	Vertical
entrar (enter)	sair (exit)	In/out
avançar (advance)	recuar (retreat)	Forward/back
aproximar (approach)	afastar (move away)	Near/far
abrir (open)	fechar (close)	Open/closed

Examples:

João SUBIU a montanha (João went up the mountain)
João DESCEU a montanha (João went down the mountain)
- Same path, opposite directions
- Both are reversible transitions

Maria ENTROU na casa (Maria entered the house)
Maria SAIU da casa (Maria exited the house)
- Reversible in/out movement

Abstract reversibility:

Direction A	Direction B	Dimension
aumentar (increase)	diminuir (decrease)	Quantity/intensity
melhorar (improve)	piorar (worsen)	Quality
enriquecer (get rich)	empobrecer (get poor)	Wealth
esquentar (heat)	esfriar (cool)	Temperature

Examples:

A temperatura AUMENTOU de 20° para 30°
(Temperature increased from 20° to 30°)

A temperatura DIMINUIU de 30° para 20°
(Temperature decreased from 30° to 20°)
- Reversible scalar change

Properties:

• Both directions are lexicalized (have distinct verbs)
• Can alternate freely based on direction of change
• Often involve symmetric scales or paths

Unidirectional (Irreversible) Transitions

Definition: Transitions that occur in only one direction, or where reversal requires different framing/event type.

Subtypes

a) Physical unidirectionality (entropy/irreversibility):

O vaso quebrou (The vase broke)
- ✗ No simple verb for "un-breaking"
- Repair ≠ reverse of breaking

O gelo derreteu (The ice melted)
- Can refreeze, but "derreter" (melt) is unidirectional
- *Congelar* (freeze) is separate process, not simple reversal

b) Temporal unidirectionality (time's arrow):

João envelheceu (João aged)
- ✗ Cannot "un-age" (no *des-envelhecer)
- Aging is unidirectional with time

A criança cresceu (The child grew)
- ✗ Growing up is not reversible

c) Life cycle transitions:

João nasceu (João was born)
- ✗ Cannot reverse birth

Maria morreu (Maria died)
- ✗ Death is irreversible (in non-religious contexts)

d) Social/legal transitions (often unidirectional):

João formou-se (João graduated)
- ✗ Cannot "un-graduate"
- Degree achievement is permanent

Maria casou (Maria married)
- Reversal is *divorciar* (divorce), different event
- Not simple reversal but new legal act

Properties

• No simple opposite-direction verb
• Reversal (if possible) requires different event type or complex process
• Often involve irreversible physical/temporal processes
• May be culturally/legally one-way

Pseudo-Reversible Transitions

Some transitions appear reversible but involve different event structures:

Example: Opening vs. Closing

OPENING: João abriu a porta (João opened the door)
CLOSING: João fechou a porta (João closed the door)

Apparent reversal, but:

• Abrir and fechar are separate lexical items
• Not morphologically related (unlike ligar/desligar - turn on/off)
• Represent different actions, not just direction reversal

---

Example: Arriving vs. Departing

ARRIVING: João chegou (João arrived)
DEPARTING: João partiu (João departed)

Different framing:

• Chegar profiles Goal (endpoint of journey)
• Partir profiles Source (starting point of journey)
• Not simple directional opposites

Aspectual Properties of Transitions

Transitions vary in their temporal structure and aspectual behavior.

Durative Transitions (Accomplishments)

Definition: Transitions that unfold over extended time with measurable duration.

Vendler class: Accomplishments

Semantic structure: Process leading to endpoint

Examples:

a) Extended journeys:

João viajou de SP para o Rio (em 6 horas)
(João traveled from SP to Rio in 6 hours)
- Duration: 6 hours
- Process: traveling
- Endpoint: arrival in Rio

Maria atravessou o país (em três semanas)
(Maria crossed the country in three weeks)
- Extended, measurable duration

b) Gradual state changes:

A temperatura aumentou de 20° para 30° (durante a tarde)
(Temperature increased from 20° to 30° during the afternoon)
- Gradual, continuous change
- Measurable time span

João envelheceu ao longo dos anos
(João aged over the years)
- Extended temporal process

Aspectual diagnostics

Test 1: Durative temporal modification

✓ João viajou DURANTE três horas (for three hours)
✓ A temperatura aumentou AO LONGO DO dia (throughout the day)

Test 2: Progressive compatible

✓ João está viajando para o Rio (João is traveling to Rio)
✓ A temperatura está aumentando (Temperature is increasing)

Test 3: "Em X tempo" (completion time)

✓ João viajou para o Rio EM seis horas (in six hours - completed)
= Took 6 hours to complete the journey

Punctual Transitions (Achievements)

Definition: Transitions conceptualized as occurring instantaneously or near-instantaneously.

Vendler class: Achievements

Semantic structure: Instant of transition at boundary

Examples:

a) Boundary crossings:

João entrou na casa (às 3h)
(João entered the house at 3pm)
- Conceptualized as instantaneous crossing
- Point in time

Maria saiu da sala (de repente)
(Maria exited the room suddenly)
- Sudden, punctual event

b) Arrival/departure:

João chegou (às 5h)
(João arrived at 5pm)
- Arrival moment is punctual

O trem partiu (exatamente às 8h)
(The train departed exactly at 8am)
- Departure moment is punctual

c) Sudden state changes:

A luz acendeu (de repente)
(The light turned on suddenly)
- Instantaneous transition

O motor parou (às 3h15)
(The engine stopped at 3:15pm)
- Punctual cessation

Aspectual diagnostics

Test 1: Point-in-time modification

✓ João entrou ÀS 3h (at 3pm - point)
✗ *João entrou DURANTE três horas (for three hours - odd)

Test 2: Progressive incompatible or coerced

✗ *João está entrando (João is entering - requires special interpretation)
  → Can only mean: "is in process of entering" (slow motion) or "is about to enter" (imminence)

✓ João entrou (João entered - simple past, punctual)

Test 3: "Em X tempo" = "after X time"

? João chegou em três horas
  = After three hours, João arrived (not: completion time of arriving)
  vs. Accomplishment: = It took three hours to complete

The Durative-Punctual Gradient

Many transitions can be construed either way depending on granularity and focus:

Example: Atravessar (cross)

Durative construal (focus on traversal process):

João atravessou a rua (lentamente, olhando para os dois lados)
(João crossed the street slowly, looking both ways)
- Focus: process of crossing
- Progressive OK: *João está atravessando a rua*

Punctual construal (focus on boundary moment):

João atravessou a fronteira (às 3h)
(João crossed the border at 3pm)
- Focus: moment of crossing threshold
- Progressive odd: ?*João está atravessando a fronteira*

Factors affecting construal

1. Scale of Path: Longer paths → durative; short paths → punctual
2. Manner elaboration: Manner specified → durative; unspecified → punctual
3. Boundary salience: Sharp boundary → punctual; diffuse → durative
4. Temporal granularity: Fine-grained → punctual; coarse → durative

Transition Verbs: A Comprehensive Classification

Portuguese transition verbs can be systematically classified:

Basic Path Verbs (Most Productive)

Verb	Path Type	Profiling	Boundary	Example
ir	Goal-oriented	Goal	No	ir para casa
vir	Goal-oriented (toward speaker)	Goal	No	vir para cá
chegar	Goal-oriented (arrival)	Goal	Yes (reaching)	chegar ao Brasil
sair	Source-oriented	Source	Yes (exiting)	sair de casa
partir	Source-oriented (departure)	Source	Yes (leaving)	partir de SP
passar	Path-oriented	Path	No (through)	passar pela praça
entrar	Inward boundary	Goal	Yes (entering)	entrar na sala
atravessar	Crossing	Path	Yes (traversing)	atravessar a rua

Vertical Motion Verbs

Verb	Direction	Reversible With	Example
subir	Upward	descer	subir a montanha
descer	Downward	subir	descer a escada
elevar	Upward (raise)	abaixar	elevar o braço
abaixar	Downward (lower)	elevar	abaixar a cabeça
levantar	Upward (lift)	—	levantar o objeto
cair	Downward (fall)	—	cair no chão

Approach/Recession Verbs

Verb	Direction	Reversible With	Example
aproximar	Toward	afastar	aproximar-se da casa
afastar	Away from	aproximar	afastar-se do perigo
avançar	Forward	recuar	avançar para frente
recuar	Backward	avançar	recuar alguns passos

Configuration Change Verbs (Spatial transitions)

Verb	Change	Reversible With	Example
abrir	Closed → Open	fechar	abrir a porta
fechar	Open → Closed	abrir	fechar a janela
expandir	Small → Large	contrair	expandir o balão
contrair	Large → Small	expandir	contrair o músculo

Abstract Transition Verbs

Verb	Domain	Transition Type	Example
mudar	State/Location	General change	mudar de casa
transformar	State/Category	Radical change	transformar-se em borboleta
passar	State/Possession	Transfer	passar a propriedade
transferir	Possession/Location	Transfer	transferir o dinheiro
tornar-se	State/Category	Become	tornar-se médico
virar	State/Category	Become (informal)	virar adulto

Summary Table: Transition Properties

Dimension	Type A	Type B	Diagnostic
Profiling	Goal (ir, chegar)	Source (sair, partir)	Required argument
Path	Elaborated (atravessar)	Schematic (chegar)	Path detail possible
Domain	Physical (correr)	Abstract (mudar)	Concrete vs. metaphorical
Manner	Separate (sair correndo)	Conflated (correr)	Verb-framed pattern
Boundary	Crossing (entrar)	Unbounded (passar)	Sharp threshold
Reversibility	Bidirectional (subir/descer)	Unidirectional (nascer)	Opposite direction verb
Aspect	Durative (viajar)	Punctual (chegar)	Progressive test

Diagnostic Tests for Transition Frames

Test 1: Path Expression

Can the verb take FROM/TO/THROUGH expressions?

✓ João foi DE casa PARA o trabalho (transition)
✗ *João correu (sem Goal/Source) (activity, not transition unless Goal added)

Test 2: MOVE Decomposition

Can the verb be decomposed as MOVE(Theme, Source, Goal, Path)?

✓ ir = MOVE(Theme, FROM(x), TO(y)) → TRANSITION
✗ existir ≠ MOVE(...) → NOT TRANSITION (stative)

Test 3: Theme Mobility

Does the Theme change location/state?

✓ João viajou (João moved locations) → TRANSITION
✗ João permaneceu (João remained - no change) → STATIVE

Test 4: Directionality

Does the verb encode inherent direction?

✓ entrar (enter - inward direction) → TRANSITION
✓ subir (rise - upward direction) → TRANSITION
✗ estar (be - no direction) → STATIVE

Test 5: Telicity (for path-verbs)

Does the verb have inherent endpoint?

✓ chegar (arrive - endpoint required) → TELIC TRANSITION
? passar (pass - endpoint optional) → LESS TELIC TRANSITION

Boundary Cases and Overlaps

Transition vs. Inchoative

Overlap: Both involve change, but different focus

Inchoative: Focus on resultant state

A porta abriu (The door opened)
- Focus: door is now in open state
- Endpoint-oriented

Transition: Focus on path/trajectory

João foi para casa (João went home)
- Focus: journey from X to home
- Path-oriented

Diagnostic:

• If result state prominent → Inchoative
• If path/trajectory prominent → Transition

Transition vs. Action

Overlap: Manner-of-motion verbs

Action (no Goal/Path):

João correu (durante uma hora)
(João ran for an hour)
- Focus: manner of action (running activity)
- No inherent endpoint
- Atelic
- ACT(João, run)

Transition (with Goal/Path):

João correu PARA casa
(João ran to home)
- Focus: path to destination
- Inherent endpoint (home)
- Telic
- MOVE(João, to_Goal(casa), via_Manner(running))

Diagnostic: Presence of Goal/Source/Path → Transition; absence → Action

Key difference:

• Action: Profiles the activity itself (running as an activity)
• Transition: Profiles the path/trajectory (movement to a goal)

Transition vs. Experiential

Overlap: Abstract "movement" in perceptual/epistemic domain

Experiential:

João percebeu o erro
(João perceived the error)
- Focus: perceptual/cognitive event
- No spatial metaphor prominent

Transition (metaphorical):

João passou da ignorância ao conhecimento
(João passed from ignorance to knowledge)
- Focus: movement along epistemic dimension
- Spatial metaphor prominent