The subdivision of this chapter is based on semantic (cognitive and communicative) concepts. Structural concepts are only employed at the end of the mapping process, where functions are specified in such detail that they can be associated with specific structures. These structures must have been introduced in the semasiological approach.

To designate this functional domain, the terms nexion and junction (Raible 1992) have been used. Moreover, the domain is all but comprised by the field of interpropositional relations; so this term has also been used to designate the entire domain.

Junction is the functional – in this case, cognitive – domain that comprises the construction of propositions consisting of more than one proposition. A semantic dependency between two propositions may be constituted in different ways:

  1. by an interpropositional relation between them, dealt with in the section on interpropositional relations1
  2. by an operation which anchors a concept operative in one of them in a situation designated by the other, dealt with in the section on concept anchoring by participation
  3. by the fact that certain properties of one of them depend on properties of the other, dealt with in the section on interdependence between two propositions.

The functional domain of junction overlaps importantly with some other functional domains. This is the topic of a separate section.

1 In Foley & Van Valin 1984, ch. 6 and Van Valin & LaPolla 1997, ch. 8, the term ‘nexus’ is applied to what here is called ‘interpropositional relation’.