All roads lead to semantic frames: how Fillmore’s frame theory became the quiet backbone of cognitive linguistics

This paper reflects on the centrality of Frame Semantics (Fillmore, 1982, 1985) within the Cognitive Linguistics movement. It argues that Fillmore’s theory has become a conceptual bedrock for Cognitive Linguistic theories, especially due to its comprehensive and systematic account of embodied, encyclopedic semantics. First, it retraces the origins of Frame Semantics back to Case Grammar before shifting to a more cognitive and usage-based model. The article then revisits the trajectory of Fillmore’s Frame Semantics, from its earliest formulations, showing how it has become a strong and influential model for investigating meaning in empirical research contexts. Finally, it provides examples of Frame Semantics’ influence on other theoretical models, strongly shaping how linguists understand meaning, grammar, and conceptualization.