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- Volume 9, Issue 2, 2022
Cognitive Linguistic Studies - Volume 9, Issue 2, 2022
Volume 9, Issue 2, 2022
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Applying cognitive linguistics to foreign language teaching and learning
Author(s): Andreas Wirag, Yunong Li and Bin Zhangpp.: 185–201 (17)More LessAbstractThe discipline of Applied Cognitive Linguistics is a recent, still emerging framework, which is situated at the interface of Cognitive Linguistics (CL) and Applied Linguistics research (Pütz, Niemeier & Dirven 2001a, 2001b). At its core, Applied CL is concerned with the use of CL models, theories, or concepts for L2 teaching and learning, where it aims to create effective teaching methods, activities, or materials. Owing to its more recent origin in the 1990s/2000s, a lively metadisciplinary discussion is still taking place within the discipline, which highlights various challenges or concerns that Applied CL research is currently facing (e.g., Achard & Niemeier 2004; Pütz 2010; Roche 2014; Tyler & Huang 2018). Major concerns in this discussion are, for instance, (1) the underuse of empirical data in Applied CL research and (2) the yet limited application of CL theories to Communicative Language Teaching (as opposed to Present-Practice-Produce, in which it is typically embedded). This article outlines these two challenges to research in Applied CL and offers suggestions how to address these concerns in future investigations. By doing so, we intend to contribute to the ongoing metadisciplinary discussion about the Applied CL framework and to promote its further consolidation.
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What does image schema facilitate in English L2 vocabulary processing?
Author(s): Takeshi Sato, Masa’aki Ogura and Tyler Burdenpp.: 202–222 (21)More LessAbstractThis study aims to examine the effectiveness of image-schema-oriented visual aids to cohesively process the semantic information of English (L2) phrasal verbs (PVs), leading to the proper understanding of their senses. As previous studies suggested the advantage of image-schema-based L2 vocabulary learning, our study hypothesizes that image-schema-oriented visual aids in a multimedia environment can develop the motivated semantic networks of L2 PVs, leading to their successful processing and comprehension. To verify the hypothesis, we administered two empirical studies to Japanese undergraduates learning with image-schema-oriented visual aids. Although they were administered in different settings, both studies showed that the participants could obtain significant learning gains, especially figurative meanings. This finding suggests that the use of image-schema-oriented aids could successfully process semantic information of L2 PVs enough to develop a motivated semantic network and reconfirm the significance of image schema in terms of enhancing learners’ metaphoric competence.
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The prototypical approach and the factors affecting the teaching and learning of prepositions
Author(s): Manisha Kawpp.: 223–242 (20)More LessAbstractThis article is a critical review of the approach based on a polysemy network model applied to teaching prepositions. The analysis brings forth the inherent limitations of this model in explaining less prototypical senses and in leading second language learners to discover a contextualized interpretation of a preposition that may vary subtly from the meaning represented in the model; the model also fails to take conceptual differences between metonym and metaphor into account and assumes that these concepts would be familiar to ESL learners. As will be discussed, methodological modifications could yield more effective results. It is also suggested that a micro-level analysis of each individual sense is required to identify the learning outcomes of the intervention to ascertain that this approach is resourceful in teaching a range of senses in the polysemy network model.
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Divine and human agency in figurative language from John’s Gospel and Jodo‑Shinshu Buddhism
Author(s): Peter Richardson and Miori Nagashimapp.: 243–265 (23)More LessAbstractThis paper seeks to extend the focus of previous analyses of agency and metaphor in Christianity and Buddhism (Charteris-Black 2017; Chilton 2004; Richardson 2012; Richardson & Nagashima 2018) by comparing the results of a previous cognitive linguistic analysis of John 14:6 (Kövecses 2011) with an analysis of figurative language and agency patterns in an extract from a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist text (Wilson 2009). The comparative analysis highlights both locally contingent and more stable differences in both texts. However, we also discuss some highly schematic conceptual similarities that deserve further study. These include some similarities in their use of journey and light source domains, the role of the divine agent in the salvation process, one aspect of the divine entity embodying and acting as instrument for another aspect of the same divine entity, and the divine act being a paragon for human action.
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Conceptual metaphor sport as war in Vietnamese football news
Author(s): Nguyen Thi Bich Hanh, Le Vien Lan Huong and Pham Hienpp.: 266–296 (31)More LessAbstractStemming from the widespread appearance of war metaphors in Vietnamese sports news, the article conducts the research on the emergence of metaphors related to the source domain of war in Vietnamese sports news. The International Commentary section aims to clarify the relationship between “sport” and “war” in Vietnamese mind maps. This article analyses the conceptual metaphor sport as war underlying the metaphorically used words and expressions in Vietnamese sports news and explains the mapping scheme between source domain and target domain. Based on the experiential correlations and knowledge mapped from source domain to target domain, the article shows typical thinking of the conceptual construction, which is both universal and typical of Vietnamese people thinking, indicating the hierarchy in conceptual thinking. The primary metaphor sport as war, through mapping scheme, the article proves the appearance of derivative metaphors in sports news such as sports competition as a battle between the warring parties; the footballers as military participants; the main footballers in competition are the weapons in the war; tactics in competing in a sports event as tactics in battle; the actions of footballers are the actions of the warring parties; fouls and misconduct are destroying an opponent in battle; coach as battle commander; winning/losing the match as winning/losing the battle. The current study’s findings are the metaphors grouped into categories: battle activities, battle devices, battle results/consequences, battle tactics. The article’s research results may help journalism students in writing skills and use conceptual metaphors in writing news and articles; suggest to sports bulletin editors how to use conceptual metaphors in news and articles to increase attraction for readers and listeners; and make matches more excited, dramatic and attractive.
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Conceptual blending in entrenched Persian noun-noun nominal compounds
Author(s): Masoumeh Diyanati, Hadaegh Rezaei and Adel Rafieipp.: 297–322 (26)More LessAbstractThe current paper offers an analysis of a set of 27 entrenched endocentric, exocentric, and copulative āb (water)-noun nominal compounds in Persian with both right- and left-headed compounds, based on the network model of conceptual blending theory. Given that an emergent meaning is involved in endocentric and copulative compounds, the same as in exocentric compounds, the paper argues that all types of compounds can be insightfully defined as conceptual blends. However, the conceptual blending network model fails to show the distinct role of head and modifier in the overall meaning of compounds, on the one hand, and the qualifying difference in the extent of emergent meaning among various types of compound words, on the other hand. Our study also lends support to a correspondence between the continuum of integration networks and the continuum of figurativity in compounds.
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Neology pathways
Author(s): Francesca Ferruccipp.: 323–340 (18)More LessAbstractA quantitative analysis of the Italian lexicon has been made, focusing on the semantic relationships of meronymy/holonymy and hyponymy/hypernymy. The study used two lexicographical sources, together representing one of the largest structured Italian datasets. Within the theoretical debate on the ontolex interface, the aforementioned semantic relationships can be particularly interesting, assuming their closeness to crucial aspects of cognition. In this framework, the collected evidence legitimates some hypotheses on the pathways that underlie lexical and semantic neology: the direction from holonym to meronym(s) appears more productive than the opposite, suggesting that the conceptualization of an object as a whole is more likely to stimulate further conceptualization of parts, members or substance. The same top-down direction from species to genus (genera), prevails in hypernyms/hyponyms. Recurring trends of use rates, first attestation dates, and correlation rates can be exploited further to discuss the issue of cognitive economy and the ways in which it manifests itself in language.
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A multimodal cognitive critical analysis
Author(s): Yanyan Panpp.: 341–360 (20)More LessAbstractThis paper makes a comparative study of recruitment advertisements between China and the United States from the perspective of Multimodal Cognitive Critical Analysis. Based on the analysis of metaphor and metonymy, the paper reveals the differences between them in contents, narrative strategies and combination of semiotic resources. In terms of contents, there are varying degrees of emphasis on military mission, income, values, and mental health. In terms of narrative strategies, China adopts a “parental” strategy, while the United States adopts a “corporate” strategy. As to the combination of semiotic resources, China and the United States differ in their use of cartoons and posters, and adopt different shooting angles of posters. This study holds that military conscription is not only a political activity, but also a platform to construct positive image of Chinese soldiers and demonstrate the strength of China’s military forces. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly adjust the above factors according to the characteristics of the era and reading habits of the viewers.
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An explanation of causal-noncausal verb alternations in terms of frequency of use
Author(s): Kazuko Inouepp.: 361–400 (40)More LessAbstractTo account for the cross-linguistic trends in the coding of causal-noncausal verb pairs, such as break (tr.)/break (intr.), Haspelmath et al. (2014) proposed, and provided corpus-based support for, an explanation in terms of usage frequency (Prediction 1, hereafter P1). However, this explanation cannot be applied to English causal-noncausal verb pairs. Since English mostly uses the same verb form for the causal and noncausal verb use, the explanation does not follow the form–frequency correspondence principle (hereafter FFCP) that Prediction 1 (hereafter P1) is based upon. In this article I argue, by using causative-affixed verbs, that for a linguistic pair there is a strong correlation in terms of frequency between form and earlier occurrence. Therefore, in place of the FFCP and P1, I propose the earlier occurrence – frequency correspondence principle (hereafter EOFCP) and the Revised Prediction 1 (hereafter RP1) based on it. This study tests the validity of the EOFCP and RP1 by applying them to 20 English verb pairs of sound emission. The investigation of frequency was made not only in present-day English but also at the time when the intransitive or transitive use came to be paired with its counterpart. The analysis shows that by applying the RP1 to the frequency data at the two time periods, we can obtain considerably high scores of matching rate, with a significant Spearman rank order correlation between the two groups.
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An aspectual account of constructions headed by unergatives and unaccusatives
Author(s): Xiaotao Zhou and Jun Wangpp.: 401–428 (28)More LessAbstractThis article presents an aspectual account of the interface between lexicon and syntax. Following Tenny’s AIH (Aspectual Interface Hypothesis), we assume that only the aspectual property of lexical information is sensitive and predictive to argument structure. Based on this assumption, the article claims that aspectual roles associated with measuring-out and delimitedness offer a single and unified account of argument structure. To begin with, a peculiar focus is given to the direct internal argument which serves as the only measuring-out role and participates the measurement constraint in three verb types including the incremental-theme verbs, the change-of-state verbs and route verbs with path objects, Another aspectual property is delimitedenss that functions as the terminus role of event progression in the form of delimiting markers such as verb particles or resultative predicates.To better testify the claim, the article focuses on constructional variations derived from some typical unergatives and unaccusatives, because the semantic distinction between the two verb types is mainly reflected on the syntactic property that urergatives normally require an agent while unaccusatives ask for a compulsory theme or patient. Yet Constructional variations derived from unergatives and unaccusatives consistently instantiate the measuring-out constraint on direct internal argument. For unergatives, an undelimited event is converted into a delimited one by addition of measuring direct argument, while for unaccusatives, semantic differences arise from alternating arguments that go through changes. Hence constructional variations further prove that syntactic structure fundamentally operates over the aspectual roles rather than thematic roles.
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Review of Wen & Taylor (2021): The Routledge Handbook of Cognitive Linguistics
Author(s): Shujun Han and Keding Zhangpp.: 429–437 (9)More LessThis article reviews The Routledge Handbook of Cognitive Linguistics
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Review of Masuda, Arnett & Labarca (2015): Cognitive Linguistics and Sociocultural Theory: Applications for Second and Foreign Language Teaching
Author(s): Marketa Dudovapp.: 438–444 (7)More LessThis article reviews Cognitive Linguistics and Sociocultural Theory: Applications for Second and Foreign Language Teaching
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Review of Giovanelli, Harrison & Nuttall (2021): New Directions in Cognitive Grammar and Style
Author(s): Limin Lipp.: 445–451 (7)More LessThis article reviews New Directions in Cognitive Grammar and Style
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Uncanny resemblance
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