An Introduction to Cognitive Linguistics

by Friedrich Ungerer, Hans-Jorg Schmid

Learning About Language is an exciting and ambitious series of introductions to fundamental topics in language, linguistics and related areas. The books are designed for students of linguistics and those who are studying language as part of a wider course.Cognitive Linguistics explores the idea that language reflects our experience of the world. It shows that our ability to use language is closely related to other cognitive abilities such as categorization, perception, memory and attention allocation. Concepts and mental images expressed and evoked by linguistic means are linked by conceptual metaphors and metonymies and merged into more comprehensive cognitive and cultural models, frames or scenarios. It is only against this background that human communication makes sense. After 25 years of intensive research, cognitive-linguistic thinking now holds a firm place both in the wider linguistic and the cognitive-science communities.An Introduction to Cognitive Linguistics carefully explains the central concepts of categoriza�­tion, of prototype and gestalt perception, of basic level and conceptual hierarchies, of figure and ground, and of metaphor and metonymy, for which an innovative description is provided. It also brings together issues such as iconicity, lexical change, grammaticalization and language teaching that have profited considerably from being put on a cognitive basis.The second edition of this popular introduction provides a comprehensive and accessible up-to-date overview of Cognitive Clarifies the basic notions supported by new evidence and examples for their application in language learning Discusses major recent developments in the the increasing attention paid to metonymies, Construction Grammar, Conceptual Blending and its role in online-processing. Explores links with neighbouring fields like Relevance Theory Uses many diagrams and illustrations to make the theoretical argument more tangible Includes extended exercises Provides substantial updated suggestions for further reading.

Genres: Linguistics, Language, Nonfiction

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 1996

Reviews

[Chadi Raheb · Rating 3 out of 5]

CogLing is a vast fascinating world that cannot be jammed into a few chapters. But this one is good enough as an introductory book.
I'll be needing to scan & skim some of the chapters again.

[Brennan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for cognitive linguistics with Broersma. Covers all sorts of specialized concepts that I'll keep sifting through over the next week of class. I'll just leave one of my favorite statements from the book and one of the insights from my first discussion post.

Talking about metaphors in our language that have become so embedded (lexicalized) in everyday speech that we don't even think of them as metaphors:

"those [things in our cognition] that are most alive and most deeply entrenched, efficient, and powerful are those that are so automatic as to be unconscious and effortless" (117)

The distinction between expert models & naive models is fascinating; that its, the idea that we build models around "communal experience, and . . . 'wrong' assumptions" (55). It appears that we unavoidably, subconsciously build cognitive/cultural models for everything, even those things about which we have little information or that don't require our attention.

While I'm neither Catholic nor a short-order cook, I have threadbare models for both the liturgical motions of Mass and the frenzied activity of a Steak 'n Shake kitchen. Even though I've given these events/settings little thought, I have words and images that come to mind for them. These fuzzy mental maps don't seem to have much functional utility. Rather, they seem to arise out of a human tendency toward order & narrative.

[Eleanor Yates · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting intro to cognitive linguistics but not for beginners - had to read this for uni

[João · Rating 3 out of 5]

More or less skipped the last 2 chapters or so. All in all it's a very interesting read, especially for people who are interested in (cognitive) linguistics, since it offers some basics and has a lot of exercises to help put theory into practice

[Kat Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

fuckin' did it!