Universität Wien
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120226 SE MA Seminar - Focus: Functional and Cognitive Linguistics / Linguistics Seminar (2023S)

Introduction to Cognitive Grammar

10.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 12 - Anglistik
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 18 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Thursday 09.03. 12:15 - 13:45 Raum 1 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-05
  • Thursday 16.03. 12:15 - 13:45 Raum 1 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-05
  • Thursday 23.03. 12:15 - 13:45 Raum 1 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-05
  • Thursday 30.03. 12:15 - 13:45 Raum 1 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-05
  • Thursday 20.04. 12:15 - 13:45 Raum 1 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-05
  • Thursday 27.04. 12:15 - 13:45 Raum 1 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-05
  • Thursday 04.05. 12:15 - 13:45 Raum 1 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-05
  • Thursday 11.05. 12:15 - 13:45 Raum 1 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-05
  • Thursday 25.05. 12:15 - 13:45 Raum 1 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-05
  • Thursday 01.06. 12:15 - 13:45 Raum 1 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-05
  • Thursday 15.06. 12:15 - 13:45 Raum 1 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-05
  • Thursday 22.06. 12:15 - 13:45 Raum 1 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-05
  • Thursday 29.06. 12:15 - 13:45 Raum 1 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-05

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Cognitive Linguistics was originally developed during the 1970s and 80s by a group of linguists who were dissatisfied with the then prevailing generative enterprise and now forms one of the main paradigms in linguistics, with adherents from all of the world and from many different of backgrounds (functional and descriptive linguistics, psycholinguistics, pragmatics, discourse studies, etc.). It offers an innovative approach to the study of language and mind, seeking to formulate the cognitive principles that motivate the structure of language. Although over the years a number of different cognitively-based approaches and models have been developed, they all shared the following basic assumptions.
In this course we will:
• Discuss of a number of influential papers to trace the origin and development of the cognitive approach to language description and to become familiar with its underlying principles and the most important basic concepts and terminology.
• Discuss a number of topics of special interest for cognitive linguistics, such as conceptual structure and organization, the relationship between language and thought, the experiential and pragmatic background of language-in-use, the issue of embodiment, figurative language (metaphor and metonymy), prototypicality and systematic polysemy
• Apply the theory of Cognitive Grammar (as developed by Ronald Langacker) to some core areas of the English language.
• Discuss a number of other major approaches in Cognitive Grammar

The aim of this course is to acquaint students with the basic principles of Cognitive Linguistics, as well as with some of the most important cognitive models and approaches, so that they:
• have a broad overview of the paradigm of Cognitive Linguistics and some of the major cognitive approaches
• can apply one of these models to (certain areas of) the English language.

Assessment and permitted materials

Mid-term assignment (take home), research proposal, presentation, seminar paper

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Students will be assessed on the basis of:
• a midterm assignment (take home): 20%
• a research proposal: 10%
• a presentation: 20%
• a seminar paper (6,500-7,000 words): 50%

Regular attendance and active participation are required (student are allowed to miss two classes over the whole semester).

Grading scale:
0–59.9% = 5; 60–69.9% = 4; 70–79.9% = 3; 80–89.9% = 2; 90–100% = 1

Examination topics

Students should be familiar with the required reading and the main concepts developed within the cognitive paradigm (explicitly tested in a take-home exam), should be able to find further literature on a topic relevant to the course, and should be able to apply the theoretical concepts in an individual (qualitative and/or quantitative) research project.

Reading list

• Günther Radden & Rene Dirven, 2007. Cognitive English Grammar. Amsterdam: John Benjamins
• John R. Taylor and Littlemore, Jeanette (eds). 2014. The Bloomsbury Companion to Cognitive Linguistics. London: Bloomsbury.

Association in the course directory

Studium: MA 812 [2];
Code/Modul: MA 4, MA 5;
Lehrinhalt: 12-0496

Last modified: Fr 10.03.2023 18:29