Preview

What Is Cognitive Linguistics

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1576 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
What Is Cognitive Linguistics
Outline 1. Cognitive Linguistics: some basic facts 2. Branches of Cognitive Linguistics

1. Cognitive Linguistics: some basic facts
What is cognitive linguistics?
Cognitive linguistics is a branch of linguistics that focuses on the conceptual structures and cognitive processes that underlie linguistic representation and grammar in language. [3]
Cognitive linguistics is the study of language in its cognitive function, where “cognitive” refers to the crucial role of intermediate informational structures with our encounters with the world. Cognitive linguistics assumes that our interaction with the world is mediated through informational structures in the mind. It is more specific than cognitive psychology, however, by focusing on natural language as a means for organizing, processing, and conveying that information. [2]
How does cognitive linguistics differ from general linguistics?
Cognitive linguistics argues that language is governed by general cognitive principles, rather than by a special-purpose language module. The three major hypotheses that guide the cognitive linguistics approach to language are: 1. Language is not an autonomous cognitive faculty 2. Grammar is conceptualization 3. Knowledge of language emerges from language use [3]
What is the subject of cognitive linguistics?
Cognitive linguistics studies the peculiarities of receiving and processing information by means of language signs and the correlation between the cognitive mechanisms and speech. Its subject is language as the instrument of representation of the cognitive structures and perception forms.[3]
What are the cognitive linguistics’ principal targets?
As any study, cognitive linguistics aims at the solution of certain theoretical and practical problems: 1. The analysis of human language competence, its origin and development in the process of life. 2. The definition and classification of common language experience of the speakers. 3. The


Bibliography: 1. Cognitive Linguistics: An Introduction, by Vyvyan Evans and Melanie Green (Routledge, 2006) 2 3. Gilles Fauconnier. 2006. "Cognitive Linguistics." Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science. John Wiley & Sons. 4. G. Radden and R. Dirven, Cognitive English Grammar. John Benjamins, 2007 5 6. Ungerer and Schmid, 1997 7
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    PSY 360 3 Cindy Larson Language Paper
    • 1543 Words
    • 5 Pages

    PSY 360 3 Cindy Larson Language Paper

    Language can be looked at differently from other types of cognitions. There is a need for language in one form or another to have the ability to communicate with other human beings. This communication is the basis to how human beings express themselves to those around them. With this expression comes the ability to formulate thoughts. These thoughts can be translated to others through language. This language play an important role when analyzing, problem-solving, creating reasons, communicating needs, and making plans. Without the existence of language the attempt for humans to achieve goals would be almost impossible to accomplish. Goals would have to be accomplished be figuring out an alternative method than language to be used for sciences, history, mathematics, and the ability to explain past experiences or cultures. Because language is such an important communication tool, this paper will go into the definition of language and lexicon, evaluating the key features of language, with a description of the four levels of the language structure and processing, and analyzing the role of language processing in cognitive psychology.…

    • 1543 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Language Paper
    • 1227 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Language Paper

    Language is something that generally every human has as a form of communication. It can be in the form of verbal words, in the form of written words, or even in the form of signed words, but it is something that as humans we all use in one way or another. The need for language evolved as a way for people to express their thoughts, their feelings and emotions, and even their fears. Humans needed a way to communicate with each other to express things that normally couldn’t be expressed. This paper is going to set out to cover language. It will cover the definition of language and lexicon, as well as evaluate the key features of language. The paper with describe the four levels of the language structure and processing as well as analyze the role of language processing in cognitive psychology. While it seems so simple, language is a complex as well as fascinating cognitive function that will be explored more in this paper.…

    • 1227 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Language and Cognition
    • 1135 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Language and Cognition

    Willingham, D. T. (2007). Cognition: The thinking animal (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.…

    • 1135 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Theories of How Children Learn
    • 7055 Words
    • 29 Pages

    Theories of How Children Learn

    Linguistics is the scientific study of language. It endeavours to answer the question – what is language and how is it represented in the mind? Language is a system of symbols and rules; exclusive in its form to human beings that enables us to communicate. Symbols are things that stand for other things: words, either written or spoken, are symbols and the rules specify how words are ordered to form sentences. Language symbols are arbitrary, with no necessary connection between the symbol, be it word or gesture, and the object or idea to which it refers. For example, if one wanted to construct a new word for ‘tree', they could use almost any legitimate combination of sounds that are not already being used for other purposes. However, symbols must be used systematically for effective communication to occur. The arbitrary symbol system must be shared; for communication to take place at least two people must have access to the system.…

    • 7055 Words
    • 29 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Language and Cognitive Psychology
    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Language and Cognitive Psychology

    Language is a cognitive function that most of us take for granted. It starts from early on, some say at conception, and it develops in complexity as we get older. It is an essential part of communication and without it its development would be greatly hindered. This natural process requires complex structures and reasoning, the bringing together of sounds and words to develop concrete ideas and thoughts. In this paper we will discuss the components of language and how it relates to cognitive processes.…

    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    language Paper
    • 1357 Words
    • 5 Pages

    language Paper

    Language is an important mechanism used in most individual’s everyday life. It helps define their culture, their backgrounds, who they are and where their place in the world is. Most of us don’t put a lot of thought into what mental processes work together to allow an individual to express his thoughts and ideas through language, but it is impossible to analyze the language development process without factoring in the important role that cognition plays in that event. This essay intends to present different hypothesis that try to explain how cognition and language are related, and how deeply connected they must be in order to allow the proper functioning and interaction of individuals in society. As thinkers try to understand if people that come from different backgrounds and speak different languages also think differently, or if there is a point of development that an individual has to reach of development from cognition required to acquire the language skills needed. The debate between psychologist about the relationship between language and cognition is one that is certain to be continues for ages to come (Harris, n.d.) .…

    • 1357 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Language and Cognitive Psychology
    • 1907 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Language and Cognitive Psychology

    The best way to understand and study language is to first define what language is, thereby eliminating such information as animal communication. There are five main points that language must meet are: communicative, arbitrary, structured, generative, and dynamic (Pati, 2000) (STIR, (n.d.)) (Willingham, 2007). Communicative means that the language allows at least two individuals to express themselves and understand the expressions thus are able to communicate (Pati, 2000) (STIR, (n.d)). Arbitrary means that there is no logical reason that any particular element of the language has a particular meaning, nor is there any reason that the meaning of one symbol preclude that the symbol of an opposing symbol have any similarities in its elements (Pati, 2000) (STIR, (n.d.)). Structured means that there must be rules that structure the way the symbols are put together to express meaning, and if the structure is not followed the meaning would either not have meaning, or not express the correct meaning (Pati, 2000) (STIR, (n.d.)). Generative means that that the symbols of the language can be put together in unlimited ways to…

    • 1907 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Cognitive Psychology Definition
    • 1019 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Cognitive Psychology Definition

    The definition of cognitive psychology is the study of mental processes such as perception, attention, memory, language, thinking, and problem-solving (Ruisel, 2010). Cognitive psychology is currently one of the most important schools of psychology. Cognitive psychology is interested in how humans receive information, process information, and use information.…

    • 1019 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Best Essays

    Language Development
    • 4227 Words
    • 17 Pages

    Language Development

    Language acquisition is one of the most important topics in cognitive development. In the study of language development it is necessary to consider all the factors that affect cognitive development and their influence on child development. Many theorists investigate how children acquire language skills and how heredity, environment, culture, and biological factors influence language development (Meadows, 2006).…

    • 4227 Words
    • 17 Pages
    Best Essays
    Read More
  • Best Essays

    To What Extent Does Language Influence Thought?
    • 2731 Words
    • 11 Pages

    To What Extent Does Language Influence Thought?

    Cognition, 21, pp.239-270. In Harley, T. A. (2008). The psychology of language: From data to theory (Third edition). New York: Psychology Press.…

    • 2731 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Best Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Essay on Cognitive Psychology
    • 2005 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Essay on Cognitive Psychology

    Davenport (1992) defines language as the system of spoken, written and signed symbols used by humans to communicate with each other. Its study is called the psycholinguistics including grammar. In simpler terms, one would state that language defines the system of communication used by humans. In children, language is acquired through a process of language acquisition. According to the Oxford Dictionary, language acquisition is defined as the process by which humans acquire the capacity to perceive and comprehend language , as well as to produce and use words and sentences to communicate. It involves the different ways in which infants and children are able to acquire their native language within a given time frame and setting. In cognitive psychology language is important because of its functions of communication and according to Santrock (2004); there are mainly two main views on the origins and development of language. These two perspectives emanate from the nature vs. nurture debate focused on the Empirical studies and nativist studies, namely : biological factors and the environmental factors of language acquisition. These theories include the behaviourist perspective by B.F Skinner who supports that language is acquired through operant conditioning or learning and the nativist theory by Noam Chomsky who purports that biological factors are better at…

    • 2005 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Birth of Linguistics as an Autonomous Discipline
    • 389 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Birth of Linguistics as an Autonomous Discipline

    The term linguistics was first used in the middle of the 19th century. The earliest Greek linguistic notions are from 5th – 4th century b.c. And grammatical description became a profession in the 17th c. Plato’s dialogue “Cratilus” is the first Western document of linguistic analysis, hiss notion of language is that each word has an underlying form which express the meaning of that word in a transparent way. Additionally, words are motivated by their sounds and symbolize the reality of things.…

    • 389 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    importance of money in pride and prejudice
    • 10842 Words
    • 42 Pages

    importance of money in pride and prejudice

    LAKOFF, G., 1990. “The Invariance Hypothesis: is abstract reason based on imageschemas?”. Cognitive Linguistics 1-1: 39-74.…

    • 10842 Words
    • 42 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Interrelationship of Psycholinguistic and Quranic Sciences
    • 4326 Words
    • 18 Pages

    Interrelationship of Psycholinguistic and Quranic Sciences

    The word ‘psycholinguistics’ is first used in the year of 1936. As Steinberg and Sciarini (2006) mentioned in their book An Introduction to Psycholinguistics regarding the definition of psycholinguistics, it is the psychology of language as it relates to learning, mind and brain as well as various aspects of society and culture. Field (2003) established a definition that psycholinguistics draws on ideas and knowledge from a number of associated areas, such as phonetics, semantics and pure linguistics. Meanwhile according to Merriam-Webster dictionary, psycholinguistics is the study of the mental faculties which involved in the perception, production, and acquisition of language. There are variations of definition regarding the term which simply associated with psychology and language. In fact, variety of fields namely psychology, linguistics, philosophy, second-language teaching, speech pathology can all benefit from the wide range of important theory and concept that are considered in the area of psycholinguistics. After all, there are selected matters in psycholinguistics that are interesting to discuss with specifically regarding knowledge and thought.…

    • 4326 Words
    • 18 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Language
    • 5826 Words
    • 24 Pages

    Language

    Let me first define Language, Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication. The scientific study of language in any of its senses is called linguistics. Psycholinguistics or Psychology of Language is the study of the psychological and neurobiological factors that enable humans to acquire, use, comprehend and produce language. Initial forays into psycholinguistics were largely philosophical ventures, due mainly to a lack of cohesive data on how the human brain functioned. Modern research makes use of biology, neuroscience, cognitive science, linguistics, and information theory to study how the brain processes language.…

    • 5826 Words
    • 24 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More

Related Topics