Cognitive Grammar in Contemporary Fiction
This book proposes an extension of Cognitive Grammar (Langacker 1987, 1991, 2008) towards a cognitive discourse grammar, through the unique environment that literary stylistic application offers. Drawing upon contemporary research in cognitive stylistics (Text World Theory, deixis and mind-modelling, amongst others), the volume scales up central Cognitive Grammar concepts (such as construal, grounding, the reference point model and action chains) in order to explore the attenuation of experience – and how it is simulated – in literary reading. In particular, it considers a range of contemporary texts by Neil Gaiman, Jennifer Egan, Jonathan Safran Foer, Ian McEwan and Paul Auster. This application builds upon previous work that adopts Cognitive Grammar for literary analysis and provides the first extended account of Cognitive Grammar in contemporary fiction.
[Linguistic Approaches to Literature, 26] 2017. ix, 164 pp.
Publishing status: Available
Published online on 27 May 2017
Published online on 27 May 2017
© John Benjamins
Table of Contents
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Acknowledgements | pp. ix–9
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Chapter 1. Introduction | pp. 1–10
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Chapter 2. Cognitive Grammar: An overview | pp. 11–30
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Chapter 3. Action chains and grounding in Enduring Love | pp. 31–48
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Chapter 4. The reference point model: Tracking character roles in The New York Trilogy | pp. 49–69
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Chapter 5. Interrelated references and fictional world elaboration in Coraline | pp. 71–89
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Chapter 6. Mind-modelling perspective in ‘Great Rock and Roll Pauses’ | pp. 91–111
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Chapter 7. Scanning the compositional path of ‘Here We Aren’t, So Quickly’ | pp. 113–129
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Chapter 8. Conclusion | pp. 131–136
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References
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Appendix
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Appendix | pp. 151–162
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Index
“This is an ambitious and immensely insightful book that pushes the boundaries of what modern stylistics can achieve. Harrison takes Langacker’s Cognitive Grammar and explores its analytical power by convincingly accounting for both the style of contemporary literary fiction and the responses of different readers. Outlining and drawing on a number of Cognitive Grammar concepts, Harrison provides exemplary discussions of a range of texts, which demonstrate that the framework has the potential to be an important and enabling method in the stylistician’s ‘tool-kit’.”
Marcello Giovanelli, Aston University, UK
“This pioneering book offers startling new insights into the experience of reading, applying cutting-edge linguistic theory to innovative, contemporary literature. It makes a brilliant and convincing case for the explanatory power of cognitive grammar, establishing its value for stylisticians and others interested in the study of literary effect.”
Sara Whiteley, University of Sheffield
“Chloe Harrison’s Cognitive Grammar in Contemporary Fiction is a creative, expansive,
and carefully constructed work in cognitive stylistics; and since it is the first monograph
by a single author focused on applying Cognitive Grammar (CG) to the analysis of literary
texts, it leads the way in unpacking this complicated and intriguing framework as a
stylistics toolkit.”
and carefully constructed work in cognitive stylistics; and since it is the first monograph
by a single author focused on applying Cognitive Grammar (CG) to the analysis of literary
texts, it leads the way in unpacking this complicated and intriguing framework as a
stylistics toolkit.”
Eric Rundquist, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, in Language and Literature 27:2 (2018)
“Chloe Harrison’s Cognitive Grammar in Contemporary Fiction is a creative, expansive, and carefully constructed work in cognitive stylistics; and since it is the first monograph by a single author focused on applying Cognitive Grammar (CG) to the analysis of literary texts, it leads the way in unpacking this complicated and intriguing framework as a stylistics toolkit.
”
”
Eric Rundquist, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, in Language and Literature, Volume 27.2
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Subjects
Linguistics
Literature & Literary Studies
Main BIC Subject
DSA: Literary theory
Main BISAC Subject
LIT006000: LITERARY CRITICISM / Semiotics & Theory