Cognitive linguistics

Dirk Geeraerts
Table of contents

Cognitive linguistics is an approach to the analysis of natural language that focuses on language as an instrument for organizing, processing, and conveying information. Methodologically speaking, the analysis of the conceptual and experiential basis of linguistic categories is of primary importance within cognitive linguistics: it primarily considers language as a system of categories. The formal structures of language are studied not as if they were autonomous, but as reflections of general conceptual organization, categorization principles, processing mechanisms, and experiential and environmental influences. Because cognitive linguistics sees language as embedded in the overall cognitive capacities of man, topics of special interest for cognitive linguistics include: the structural characteristics of natural language categorization (such as prototypicality, systematic polysemy, cognitive models, mental imagery and metaphor); the functional principles of linguistic organization (such as iconicity and naturalness); the conceptual interface between syntax and semantics (as explored by cognitive grammar and construction grammar); the experiential and pragmatic background of language-in-use; and the relationship between language and thought, including questions about relativism and conceptual universals.

Full-text access is restricted to subscribers. Log in to obtain additional credentials. For subscription information see Subscription & Price.

References

Brugman, C.M.
1989The story of over. Garland. Google Scholar
Bühler, K.
1934Sprachtheorie. Gustav Fischer Verlag. Google Scholar
Deane, P.D.
1992Grammar in mind and brain. Mouton de Gruyter. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Fauconnier, G.
1985Mental spaces. MIT Press.  BoPGoogle Scholar
Fillmore, C.
1985Frames and the semantics of understanding. Quaderni di Semantica 6: 222–255. Google Scholar
Fillmore, C. & P. Kay & M.C. O
1988Regularity and idiomaticity in grammatical constructions. Language 64: 501–538. DOI logo  BoPGoogle Scholar
Geeraerts, D.
1985Paradigm and paradox. Leuven University Press. Google Scholar
1988Cognitive grammar and the history of lexical semantics. In Rudzka-OstynB. (ed.): 647–677. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Geeraerts, D. & S. Grondelaers & P. Bakema
1994The structure of lexical variation. Mouton de Gruyter. DOI logo  BoPGoogle Scholar
Geiger, R.A. & B. Rudzka-Ostyn
1993Conceptualizations and mental processing in language. Mouton de Gruyter. DOI logo  BoPGoogle Scholar
Haiman, J.
1980Dictionaries and encyclopedias. Lingua 50: 329–357. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
1985aIconicity in syntax. John Benjamins. DOI logo  BoPGoogle Scholar
1985bNatural syntax. Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar
Holland, D. & N. Quinn
1987Cultural models in language and thought. Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Johnson, M.
1987The body in the mind. University of Chicago Press.  BoPGoogle Scholar
Kövecses, Z.
1986Metaphors of anger pride, and love. John Benjamins. DOI logo  BoPGoogle Scholar
Lakoff, G.
1987Women fire, and dangerous things. University of Chicago Press. DOI logo  BoPGoogle Scholar
Lakoff, G. & M. Johnson
1980Metaphors we live by. University of Chicago Press.  BoPGoogle Scholar
Lakoff, G. & M. Turner
1989More than cool reason. University of Chicago Press. DOI logo  BoPGoogle Scholar
Langacker, R.W.
1987Foundations of cognitive grammar vol. ,1. Stanford University Press. Google Scholar
1990Concept image, and symbol. Mouton de Gruyter. Google Scholar
1991Foundations of cognitive grammar vol. ,2. Stanford University Press. Google Scholar
Newmeyer, F.J.
1992Iconicity and generative grammar. Language 68: 756–796. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Nuyts, J.
1993Cognitive linguistics. Journal of Pragmatics 20: 269–290. DOI logo  BoPGoogle Scholar
Paprotté, W. & R. Dirven
1985The ubiquity of metaphor. John Benjamins. DOI logo  BoPGoogle Scholar
Radden, G.
1992The cognitive approach to natural language. In M. Pütz (ed.) Thirty years of linguistic evolution: 513–541. John Benjamins. DOI logo  MetBibGoogle Scholar
Rosch, E.
1978Principles of categorization. In E. Rosch & B.B. Lloyd (eds.) Cognition and categorization: 27–48. Erlbaum.  BoPGoogle Scholar
Rosch, E. & C.B. Mervis
1975Family resemblances. Cognitive Psychology 7: 573–605. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Rudzka-Ostyn, B.
1988Topics in cognitive linguistics. John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Schwarz, M.
1992Einführung in die Kognitive Linguistik. Francke. Google Scholar
Sweetser, E.
1990From etymology to pragmatics. Cambridge University Press. DOI logo  BoPGoogle Scholar
Talmy, L.
1978Figure and ground in complex sentences. In J.H. Greenberg (ed.) vol 4 Universals of human language: 625–649. Stanford University Press.  BoPGoogle Scholar
1983How language structures space. In H. Pick & L. Acredolo (eds.) Spatial orientation: 225–282. Plenum Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
1985Lexicalization patterns. In T. Shopen (ed.) vol 3 Language typology and syntactic description: 57–149. Cambridge University Press.  BoPGoogle Scholar
1988aForce dynamics in language and cognition. Cognitive Science 12: 49–100. DOI logo  BoPGoogle Scholar
1988bThe relation of grammar to cognition. In Rudzka-OstynB. (ed.): 165–205. Google Scholar
Taylor, J.R.
1989Linguistic categorization. Clarendon Press. Google Scholar
Tsohatzidis, S.L.
1990Meanings and prototypes. Routledge.  BoPGoogle Scholar
Vandeloise, C.
1986L’espace en français. Seuil. DOI logoGoogle Scholar