Cognitive Theory Of Cognitive Grammar

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4.2 COGNITIVE GRAMMAR

Cognitive Grammar (from here on CG) is the cognitive theory of language developed by Ronald Langacker out of his own dissatisfaction with the dominant trend of linguistics of the period. The first claim Lankacker does is that grammar is meaningful (2008). This statement is twofold: on the one hand, it means that elements considered to be devoid of meaning –like vocabulary items- have indeed meanings attached to them. On the other hand, grammar allows the speaker to elaborate and symbolise the meanings of complex expressions. Additionally, Langacker (1987) points out in his standard text on CG that language is characterized as inherently symbolic with linguistic expressions standing for conceptualizations retrieved from …show more content…

In this way, the dynamic and open-ended characteristics of a language depicted by CG brings to the surface the claim the language can be ultimately reduced to neural activation (Broccia, 2013). Therefore, a formal explanation on the rules of a language and its exceptions is not possible to accomplish. In fact, CG considers the following functions of language to be foundational: the semiological, as this entails the expression of meaning through sounds and gestures, and the interactive because of its use in the context of human …show more content…

Besides, it has intrinsic content as the sounds belong to a certain type of auditory phenomena whereas the meanings are related to special cases of conceptualizations (Langacker, 2008). Nonetheless, Grammar is not perceived in the same way that sound and meanings are because it has no discernible content unlike the structures mentioned above. In other words, Grammar is part of the commonality of sound-meaning pairings which makes it symbolic in

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