Chapter 10 Cognitive linguistics - teaching plan

Chapter10CognitiveLinguisticsObjectives1.Thestudentswilllearnhowlanguageiscloselyrelatedtohumancognitionandexperience.2.Studentswillbeableto1)understandthebasicconceptsincognitivelinguistics,suchascategorization,prototype,metaphor,metonymy,iconicity,etc.;2)understandthedistinctionbetweentheclassicaltheoryofcategorizationandtheprototypetheory;3)understandcognitiveapproachtometaphorandmetonymy;4)explainthestructureoflanguagefromtheperspectiveoficonicity;and5)understandtheprocessofgrammaticalizationinlanguageandthemotivationforgrammaticalization.KeyPoints1.Basicconceptscognitivelinguisticscateorycategorizationprototypeprototypetheorymetaphormetonymyiconicitygrammaticalization2.Theclassicaltheoryofcategorization3.Theprototypetheoryofcategorization4.Conceptualmetaphorandmetonymy5.Majortypesoficonicityinlanguage6.GrammaticalizationProcedureStepOne:Lead-intaskGivesomeexamplestoshowthatlanguageiscloselyrelatedtothewayweperceivetheworld.Steptwo:IntroducethemajortopicsincognitivelinguisticsTask1:Askstudentstodiscusshowwecanlookatlanguageifwetakehumanexperienceandcognitionintoconsideration.Task2:Onthebasisofthediscussion,askstudentstofigureoutthepossibleperspectiveswecantakeincognitivelinguistics.Stepthree:OntheoriesofcategorizationTask1:Groupwork.Dividetheclassinto8groups.Askeachgrouptoclassifyseveralthings.Discussthecriterionintheirclassificationandreporttheirdiscussiontotheclass.Task2:Discussthedifferencesexistinginthetwowaysofcategorization:classicalandprototype.Task3:Discusstheadvantagesanddisadvantagesofprototypetheoryofcategorization.StepFour:OnconceptualmetaphorandmetonymyTask1:Askstudentstotalkaboutlovewithoutusinganymetaphoricalexpressions.Task2:Cometotheconclusionthatmetaphorisafundamentalcognitiveinstrumentthatweuseinthinkingabouttheworld,notsimplyarhetoricaldevice.Task3:DiscussthedifferencebetweenconceptualmetaphorandmetonymyStepFive:OniconicityTask1:Askstudentstodiscussinwhatwaysitispossibleforthestructureoflanguagetoimitatethestructureofourexperience,orthestructureoftheworld,andtheperspectiveimposedontheworldbypeople.Task2Introducethreetypesoficonicityinlanguage:order,distanceandcomplexity.StepSix:OngrammaticalizationTask1:Askstudentstodiscussthedifferencesbetweenlexiconandgrammar,andtherelationshipbetweenlexiconandgrammar.Task2:Givesomeexamplestoshowthatlexiconischanginginsomeways.Discussthemotivationfortheprocessofgrammaticalization.StepSeven:ReviewandconclusionLectureNote10.1IntroductionCanyoudescribeacar?Possiblyyouwillsayitissimple.Butactuallyitisnotsosimple.Asexperimentshaveshown,peoplewillnotonlystatethatacarhasabox-likeshape,thatithaswheels,doors,andwindows,thatitisdrivenbyanengineandequippedwithasteeringwheel,anacceleratorandbrakes,andthatithasseatsforthedriverandthepassengers.Itwillalsobementionedthatacariscomfortableandfast,thatitoffersmobility,independenceandperhapssocialstatus.Somepeoplemayconnectthenotionof“car”withtheirfirstloveaffair,orwithinjuryiftheywereonceinvolvedinanaccident.Thisexampletellsusthatthedescriptionofacargoesbeyondobjectivedescriptions,butprovidesaricher,morenaturalviewofitsmeaning,andincludestheuseofmetaphors.Thisapproachthatlanguageandlanguageusearebasedonourbodilyexperienceandthewayweconceptualizeitiscalledcognitivelinguistics.Asanewapproachtothestudyoflanguageandmind,cognitivelinguisticsbegantoappearinthe1970sandhasbeenincreasinglyactivesincethe1980s.Theinterestingtopicsforcognitivelinguisticsincludethestructuralcharacteristicsofnaturallanguagecategorization(suchaswhatisaprototype,metaphor,mentalimagery,andcognitivemodels),thefunctionalprinciplesoflinguisticorganization(suchasiconicityandnaturalness),theconceptualinterfacebetweensyntaxandsemantics,theexperientialandpragmaticbackgroundoflanguage-in-use,andtherelationshipbetweenlanguageandthought.Inthefollowingsectionswewillhaveabriefintroductiontosomeofthesubjects.10.2CategorizationandcategoriesHaveyouseenatree?Ibetthatstrictlyspeakingyouhaven’t,foryouhaveseenawillow,apeachtree,oranyparticulartree,butyouhaven’tseenanabstracttree.Thesameistruewiththeworddog.Haveyouseenadog?Youhaven’t,notintheabstractsenseoftheword.Youhaveseenawhitedog,ayellowdog,yourowndogoryourneighbour’sdog,butyouhaven’tseenanabstractdog.Adog(oratreeforthatmatter)standsforallthecharacteristicsofthespeciesitrefersto.Thespecialtermforthisphenomenoniscalledcategory.Andthementalprocessofclassificationiscalledcategorization,whichisoneoftheimportantcapabilitiesofthehumanmind.Categorizationoccurseverywherearoundus,withoutitalotofinformationwouldbeindisorder.Infact,peoplearequiteabletodividetheworldintocategories,andtheycanlearntodistinguishbetweendifferentcategoriessuchasCARandBUS.Forexample,asastudent,youmaybeclassifiedasaFRESHMAN,SOPHOMORE,JUNIOR,orSENIOR;youmayalsobeclassifiedbyyourmajor.Astothecoloursystem,wehavecolourcategories,suchasRED,WHITE,BLACK,YELLOW,andBLUE.MoviesinAmericahavealreadybeencategorizedasG(GeneralAudiences:usedtomeanthatafilmissuitableforanyonetowatch),PG(parentalguidance:usedtodescribeafilmcontainingscenes,subjects,orlanguageconside