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In:Motivation in Language: A cognitive perspective
Edited by Grzegorz Drożdż and Barbara Taraszka-Drożdż
[Human Cognitive Processing 83] 2027
► pp. 12–42

Chapter 1
Locating motivation

This content is being prepared for publication; it may be subject to changes.
Abstract
In this chapter, I argue that motivation is an indispensable theoretical tool for both the description and the explanation of language structure and use. Language-internal and/or language-external factors (motivational sources) may have an impact on the form, meaning, and/or pragmatic function of simple or complex linguistic signs (motivational target). It is important to note that the relationship between a motivational source and its target is nondeterministic, i.e. nonpredictable: a given source does not necessarily result in a predetermined target. Language-internal motivation manifests itself e.g. in the plural formation of loanwords. Language-external motivational sources include parameters such as experience, perception (e.g figure-ground organization), embodiment, and sociocultural models. The workings of these motivational forces on lexicogrammatical structure are illustrated with mostly English-language examples.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.(Mis)conceptions of motivation in language
    • 2.1Naturalism vs. conventionalism
    • 2.2Language motivated by thought
  • 3.Defining motivation
  • 4.Types of motivation
    • 4.1Systemic (language-internal) motivation
    • 4.2Language-external factors motivating the language system
      • 4.2.1The coordinate structure constraint
      • 4.2.2Acceptable violations of the CSC
      • 4.2.3The Nice and Adj construction
      • 4.2.4Main clause syntax in German conditional clauses
      • 4.2.5Behaghel’s First Law: Motivated properties of constructions
  • 5.Conclusions
  • Author queries
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
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