Notional Approach to Grammatical Categories

elective courses

The course is meant for students of the II level (MA).

Classroom

The course is meant for students of the II level (MA)

The course is designed for students who are interested in cognitive linguistics, and in learning about the foundations of Langacker's theory of cognitive grammar, in particular. The main theme of the course is Langacker's notional characterization of grammatical categories (such as: noun, verb, infinitive, participle, adjective, adverb, preposition) which in cognitive grammar are regarded as phenomena that reveal not only fundamental cognitive abilities of humans, but also ways of experiencing and understanding the world.

In the descriptive part of the course, the main focus will be put on: schematic conceptual structures of grammatical categories (noun, verb, infinitive, participle, adjective, adverb, preposition categories), and on analogy between the semantic structures of nouns and verbs, as well as between noun phrases and verb phrases. One of the leitmotifs of the descriptive part of the course are alternate construals (alternate conventional images) of the same conceptual content by means of different grammatical categories, which can be illustrated by the semantic structures coded by the verb "enter" and the preposition "into". Within the framework of cognitive grammar, which is a usage-based model of language, conventional uses of lexical units as well as motivated non-conventional uses of such units (i.e. novel semantic extensions) are analysed; e.g. "car" in: "You will get a lot of car for your money", or " house" in: " That's enough house for today".

The chief source of data: English.

Main issues:

• the symbolic function of language;

• meaning as conceptualisation;

• encyclopaedic approach to meaning of linguistic units;

• usage-based model of language;

• categorizing abilities;

•cognitive ability of: figure/ground organization, schematization, reification, summary and sequential scanning;

• description of selected aspects of "conventional imagery", i.e. of construal of linguistic meaning in terms of the viewing metaphor;

• embodiment of linguistic meaning;

• evaluating the adequacy of cognitive models of language: the principle of converging evidence;

• a detailed characterization of grammatical categories at level of schemas and subschemas, i.e. description of semantic structures in terms of the profile/base alignment and other aspects of construal.

Basic readings (the relevant parts of):

Evans, Vyvyan and Melanie Green. 2006. Cognitive Linguistics: An Introduction. Edinburgh University Press.

Langacker, Ronald W. 1990. Concept, Image and Symbol: The Cognitive Basis of Grammar. Berlin and New York: Mouton de Gruyter. Chapter 3: Nouns and Verbs, pp. 59-100. (1st published in: 1987. "Nouns and verbs". Language. 43/1, 53-94).

Langacker, Ronald W. 1995a. “Viewing in cognition and grammar”. In Davis Philip W. (ed.), Alternative Linguistics. Descriptive and Theoretical Modes. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins, 153-212

Langacker, Ronald W. 1995b. “The symbolic alternative”. In Persson, Gunnar and Henryk Kardela (eds), New Trends in Semantics and Lexicography. Umeå: Acta Universitatis Umensis, 89-117.

Lee, David. 2001. Cognitive Linguistics: An Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Radden, Günter and René Dirven. 2007. Cognitive English Grammar. Amsterdam: Benjamins.

Taylor, John R. 2002. Cognitive Grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Further readings:

Górska, Elżbieta. 2000. “What’s ‘cognitive’ about cognitive grammar?” Kwartalnik Neofilologiczny 47/3, 269-279.

Hart, Christopher and Javier Marmol Queralto. 2021. "What can cognitive linguistics tell us about language-image relations? A multidimensional approach to intersemiotic convergence in multimodal texts". Cognitive Linguistics 32(4): 529–562.

Karczewski, Daniel, Wajda Edyta and Radosław Poniat. 2020. "Do all storks fly to Africa? Universal statements and the generic overgeneralization effect". Lingua 246: 1-15.

Langacker, Ronald W. 2008. Cognitive Grammar. A Basic Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Tabakowska, Elżbieta. 2015. "Translation studies meets linguistics: Pre-structuralism, structuralism, post-structuralism". Acta Universitatis Caroline Philologica 3: 7-18.

Tabakowska, Elżbieta. 2017.“Grammar, 'cultural meaning' and translation pedagogy”. In Julie Deconinck, Philippe Humblé, Arvi Sepp, and Hélène Stengers (eds.) Towards Cultural Awareness in Translation pedagogy. Zurich: LIT Verlag, 65 – 76.

Taylor, John R. 1995. Linguistic Categorization. Prototypes in Linguistic Theory. 2nd Edition. Oxford: Clarendon Press (1st edition 1989).

KNOWLEDGE

Students know and understand:

• the conceptual core of Langacker's theory of cognitive grammar.

• the notional characterization of grammatical categories.

• analogy between the semantic structures of nouns and verbs, as well as between noun phrases and verb phrases.

• ways of creating alternate construals (alternate conventional images) of the same conceptual content by means of different grammatical categories.

SKILLS

Students will be able to:

• analyse both the conventional uses of lexical units as well as contextually motivated non-conventional uses of such units.

• study the literature on the application of cognitive grammar in description of different languages.

•present their knowledge in a coherent, precise and linguistically correct manner in English on level C2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, using appropriate register and form.

• communicate with diverse groups of participants, and in particular about issues pertaining to alternate construals of the same conceptual content by means of different grammatical categories and the role of context in creating such semantic structures.

• recognize differences between diverse methodological approaches to cognitive semantics.

• further develop their interest in cognitive linguistics with ease.

• apply knowledge about alternate construals of the same conceptual content by means of different grammatical categories in their translation practice.

SOCIAL COMPETENCE

Students will be ready to:

• critically assess their own linguistic knowledge and skills related to the collection, analysis, and interpretation of linguistic data.

• venture on lifelong learning and personal and professional development, applying knowledge and skills obtained during the course, and in particular their abilities to critically study academic literature.

• take responsibility for performing their professional duties, with due respect for the work of others.

• strive at formulating their views in a precise and trustworthy manner.

• care about the application of ethical norms in professional and academic conduct, as well as about development of professional ethos and ethical principles and norms in academia.

• Form: Discussions and analytical tasks to be done individually and in small groups.

• The basis for the final grade is the result of the written mid-term (40%) and the final test (60%); types of test questions: multiple choice, filling-in blanks, one short open question.

• 10% extra can be gained from an optional written assignment; active participation in the discussions may also raise the final grade.

• Up to three absences are allowed.