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13 §3 Backwards
Figure 13.4 shows the same meaning as Figure 13.3, but here the prominent character in a section of discourse (e.g. the woman in Figure 13.4, left and right) is both the starting point and the end point of the path in question – e.g. experience a backlash/ backblast, get backtalk, get s’thing back, and backchat.
A ball bounces back to the woman. Figure 13.4
In Figure 13.5 we see the same meaning but here the Landmark (Person B) is the starting point and endpoint and a second character (Person A) mediates the return of the Subject (which could be a pencil that was borrowed).
A B
Person A gives something back to Person B. Figure 13.5
With reference to this basic scenario, back is a very common collocate of verbs of transfer and communication such as give, send, pay, transmit, tell, and email.
3. Backward (s) 3.1 Backward(s): Basic meaning & back , forward Sometimes backward(s) does have, or seem to have, something to do with movement, as seen in example (4) and in Figure 13.6.
(4) Henry took a step backwards [~’back’]. He winced as if she had hit him.CCCS