Language and Cognition

The main objective of the course is to introduce students to the field of cognitive linguistics with its main tenets. The areas that will be covered include, among others, semantics, pragmatics, syntax, morphology. The course begins with an introduction to general linguistics. It discusses selected theories of language origin, contrasts human language with other animal communication system, describes main features of language. As the course unfolds, students become familiar with different approaches to studying language, selected issues related to contemporary linguistics, the most important names and works relevant to the field.

The following topics shall be presented:

What is language? Why do we study it?

What is linguistics What is cognitively linguistics? The main tenets

Semantics

Syntax

Pragmatics

Morphology

Phonology

Pragmatics

Metaphor

Metonymy

Embodiment and situated cognition

The main theories with which to study language (e.g. conceptual integration theory, aka blending)

Creativity in language

Language and the brain

V. Evans & M. Green. 2006. Cognitive Linguistics. An Introduction. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

R.Dirven i M. Verspoor (eds.) 2004. Cognitive Explorations of Language and Linguistics. Second Revised Edition. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins.

F.Ungerer i H.J. Schmid. 1996. An Introduction to Cognitive Linguistics. London?New York: Longman.

G. Yule. 2006. The Study of Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.