Cognitive linguistics is best described as a 'movement' or an ‘enterprise’, precisely because it does not constitute a single closely-articulated theory. Instead, it is an approach that has adopted a common set of core commitments and guiding principles, which have led to a diverse range of complementary, overlapping (and sometimes competing) theories. The purpose of this article is to trace some of the major assumptions and commitments that make cognitive linguistics a distinct and worthwhile enterprise. We also attempt to briefly survey the major areas of research and theory construction which characterize cognitive linguistics, areas which make it one of the most lively, exciting and promising schools of thought and practice in modern cognitive science. (Vyvyan Evans, Benjamin Bergen, and Jörg Zinken)