Polisemy is a fundamental aspect of language, enabling  words to carry multiple meanings based on context. Among various semantic extensions, anthropomorphism –attributing human characteristics to non-human entities- plays a crucial role in shaping the meanings of polysemantic English nouns. This study explores the cognitive  and linguistic mechanisms that facilitate anthropomorphic extensions in English analyzing how nouns that originally refer to objects, concepts or natural elements acquire human-like attributes. Drawing from cognitive linguistics, conceptual metaphor theory, and lexical semantics the paper examines patterns of semantic shifts in frequently used polysemantic nouns. The findings highlight the significance of embodiment and metaphorical mapping in language evolution, demonstrating that anthropomorphic polysemy not only enriches communication but also reflects fundamental cognitive processes shaping human perception of the world.

Polysemy, Cognitive linguistics, Anthropomorphism, Lexical semantics, Conceptual Metaphor, Metonymy, Etymology

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https://www.researchgate.net/search?q=anthropomorphic%20semantics%20polysemy