Between Space and Function: How Spatial and Functional Features Determine the Comprehension of between

It is often assumed that the spatial meaning of between is only based on spatial features (geometrically definable cognitive representations; see, e.g. Johnston and Slobin, 1979). This chapter first considers how spatial features represent the meaning of between. It then considers a possible impact of visual functional features (visually perceived spatial features, like cartoon-like eyes, that invite a particular object categorization, such as ‘this is an animal’), linguistic functional features (lexical concepts inviting a particular categorization, as derived from ‘this is a thumb’), general functional features (features contributed by cognitive processes found across cognitive systems, like cognitive effort), and dynamic–kinematic features (features specifying actual or potential interactions between physical entities). After considering why between can correspond to more than one spatial prototype it is discussed which of the above features are lexical features, which features are contextual features, and how features of different types may interact to specify the meaning of between in context.