Cognitive Sociolinguistics: Language Variation, Cultural Models, Social Systems / Edition 1

by Gitte Kristiansen, René Dirven

Overview

A union of Cognitive Linguistics and Sociolinguistics was bound to happen. Both proclaim a usage-based approach to language and aim to analyse actual language use in objective ways.

Whereas Sociolinguistics is by nature on the outlook for language in its variety, CL can no longer afford to ignore social variation in language as it manifests itself in the usage data. Nor can it fail to adopt an empirical methodology that reflects variation as it actually occurs, beyond the limited knowledge of the individual observer. Conversely, while CL can only benefit from a heightened sensitivity to social aspects, the rich, bottom-up theoretical framework it has developed is likely to contribute to a much better understanding of the meaning of variationist phenomena.

The volume brings together fifteen chapters written by prominent scholars testifying of rich empirical and theoretizing research into the social aspects of language variation. Taking a broad view on Cognitive Sociolinguistics, the volume covers three main areas: corpus-based research on language variation, cognitive cultural models, and the ideologies of sociopolitical and socio-economic systems.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783110196252
Publisher:	De Gruyter
Publication date:	11/17/2008
Series:	Cognitive Linguistics Research [CLR] , #39
Pages:	553
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.30(h) x 4.80(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Gitte Kristiansen, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain; René Dirven, University of Duisburg, Germany.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments v

Introduction: Cognitive Linguistics: Rationale, methods and scope Gitte Kristiansen Rene Dirven 1

Part 1 Theoretical aspects: Semantic and lectal variation

Prototypes, stereotypes, and semantic norms Dirk Geeraerts 21

Style-shifting and shifting styles: A socio-cognitive approach to lectal variation Gitte Kristiansen 45

Part 2 Usage-based variation research

Methodological issues in corpus-based Cognitive Linguistics Kris Heylen Jose Tummers Dirk Geeraerts 91

Channel and constructional meaning: A collostructional case study Anatol Stefanowitsch Stefan Th. Gries 129

National variation in the use of er "there". Regional and diachronic constraints on cognitive explanations Stefan Grondelaers Dirk Speelman Dirk Geeraerts 153

Variation in the choice of adjectives in the two main national varieties of Dutch Dirk Speelman Stefan Grondelaers Dirk Geeraerts 205

Part 3 Cultural models of language and language policy

Rationalist and romantic models in globalisation Frank Polzenhagen Rene Dirven 237

A nation is a territory with one culture and one language: The role of metaphorical folk models in language policy debates Raphael Berthele 301

Cultural models of Home in Aboriginal children's English Farzad Sharifian 333

A Cognitive Linguistic approach to the cultures of World Englishes: The emergence of a new model Hans-Georg Wolf 353

Part 4 Socio-political systems

Corporate brands as socio-cognitive representations Veronika Koller 389

Metaphorically speaking: Gender and classroom discourse Susan Fiksdal 419

The business model of the university: Sources and consequences of its construal Nancy Urban449

Competition, cooperation, and interconnection: 'Metaphor families' and social systems Pamela S. Morgan 483

How cognitive linguists can help to solve political problems Karol Janicki 517

Subject index 543