Cognitive Linguistics

COGNITIVE LINGUISTIC BASIC THEORIES
Lecturer: Phan The Hung, Ph.D

Student’s name: Nguyen Truc Phuong
Student's code: 2382202010008
1. What is cognitive linguistics?

Cognitive linguistics is a modern branch of linguistic practice and thought.
The study focuses on the connection between human language, the mind,
and socio-physical experience. Cognitive language theories have evolved
recently to be sufficiently sophisticated and precise to start generating
testable hypotheses employing the wide spectrum of convergent
approaches from the cognitive sciences. Cognitive linguistics is best
described as a movement' or 'enterprise' because it lacks a single tightly
articulated theory. This approach shares essential convictions and guiding
ideas, resulting in a varied variety of complementary, overlapping, and
occasionally opposing theories. (Evans, V, 2012, 129-141). Cognitive
linguistics suggests that our brain has a specific ability to understand and
produce language, which explains why this gift is fundamental and special
to humans, following comrade Chomsky. Some went so far as to describe
language as a biological function that is inherent in humans. We have all
of the hormones and anatomy needed to reproduce, but they only become
active during puberty, therefore language acquisition is analogous to
puberty. In this way, cognitive linguistics approaches language as a
biological system, potentially overlooking some social and behavioral
components. It is important to remember that there are pros and cons to
every theory or method, and cognitive linguistics is no exception.
2. What are conceptual metaphors? Give an example?
Conceptual metaphors, in my opinion, are valuable as a fuzzy structure
that describes (roughly) and impacts thought. My objections to conceptual
metaphor theories stem from their incorporation into more deterministic
language theories, which has resulted in some questionable applications of
the notion (at least to me). The first assumption is that the empirical
presence of cross-cultural / global conceptual metaphors implies that
metaphors are expressions of neural (brain) structures. This translates to:
"If it's not culture, it must be physiology". Conceptual metaphors have also
been included into linguistic theories that presuppose a computational
foundation for thought and language. According to this viewpoint,
metaphors may have an almost formal mathematical structure, and the
brain may be regarded as a computer-like metaphor-processing engine that
employs metaphors as a type of thinking language. Conceptual metaphors
are needed for discussion about abstractions because abstract ideas can
only be understood in words that come from direct experience. For
example: "The stock market fell" doesn't mean that an auction house full
of cattle fell over. Instead, it means that the value of all publicly traded
shares went down. Metaphors are typically the most effective approach to
communicate with non-experts. They narrate, inform, interpret, and project
an explanation downwards. Metaphors, on the other hand, are just
approximations of reality. They are merely one aspect of a multifaceted
item. Metaphors aren't useful for precise thinking. They are also unsuitable
for making predictions or grasping complex concepts. However, after all
the metaphors are combined, you get a decent idea of what others believe
about the issue. According to (Lakoff, 2006) in terms of “love" the author
gives some instances: Look how far we’ve come. (It shows that love is a
journey, and the two of them have been on a long journey together. Along
the way, they've shared their experiences, learned from each other, and
grown closer.) or “We can’t turn back now.” - this metaphor suggests your
relationship is reaching a turning point. Turning back would mean
sacrificing your accomplishments and shared future.
3. What are the kinds of conceptual metaphors? Give examples?
(Lakoff & Johnson, 2020) identified three basic domains of conceptual structure
and to trace some of the systematic connections among and within them:
Structural, Orientational, Ontological. Structural metaphors entail the use of an
idea from one area to structure another. The essay is an example of how
arguments are built around conflict. Orientational metaphors help people grasp
abstract things via spatial orientations. The text uses the example of joyful is UP
and sad is DOWN (feeling UP or DOWN). Ontological metaphors represent
abstract notions as if they were physical realities. Love is described as a
JOURNEY.
4. Give one example of cross mapping of conceptual metaphors.
Source Domain: LOVE IS A JOURNEY (a frequent ontological metaphor).
Target Domain: ARGUMENT IS WAR (common structural metaphor). Cross-
Mapping: Imagine you are in a long-term relationship. During your trip, you
will meet arguments and conflicts. Cross-mapping reveals how these two
metaphors interact: Negotiation in the love journey might be compared to
diplomacy in a war metaphor.
In the context of a war metaphor, compromise in the love journey may be seen
as a truce. Strengthening the link in the love journey may be seen as gaining
territory in the battle metaphor.
5. Give examples to show the similarities / differences in conceptual
metaphors between English and Vietnamese language.
The conceptual metaphor "Life is a Journey" is a popular approach to analyze
and describe the intricacies of human life. It implies that life is not a set goal,
but rather a continuous process of movement, change, and development. Just as
a trip has phases, obstacles, and rewards, so does life provide us with a variety
of experiences, positive and negative.This metaphor is widely used in both
English and Vietnamese, representing the common human experience of life's
journey. Here are some instances of how the metaphor is used in both
languages:
English:
"We're all on this journey together."
"I'm at a crossroads in my life."
"She's reached the end of her journey."
Vietnamese:
"Cuộc đời là một chuyến đi."
“Tôi đang ở bước ngoặt quyết định trong cuộc đời.”
"Anh ấy đang đứng trước ngã rẽ của cuộc đời."
References
Evans, V. (2012). Cognitive linguistics. Wiley interdisciplinary reviews: cognitive
science,, trang 129-141.
Lakoff, G. (2006). Conceptual metaphor. Cognitive linguistics: Basic readings. New
York: Mouton de Gruyter.
Lakoff & Johnson. (2020). Conceptual metaphor in everyday language. In Shaping
entrepreneurship research. Routledge.

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COGNITIVE LINGUISTIC BASIC THEORIES

Lecturer: Phan The Hung, Ph.D

1. What is cognitive linguistics?

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