scholarly journals The Cognitive Grammar of drunkenness: Consciousness representation in Under the Volcano

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-56
Author(s):  
Eric Rundquist

Cognitive Grammar analyses the semantics of linguistic features in relation to human cognition; Free Indirect Style allows authors to represent their characters’ cognition with language. This article applies Cognitive Grammar to the analysis of a character’s mind that is represented with Free Indirect Style. In the tradition of mind style analysis, it aims to use linguistics to reveal some of the underlying cognitive processes and proclivities at work in the character’s psychology. The character in question is the protagonist in Malcolm Lowry’s Under the Volcano, an alcoholic who is largely characterised by his drunken behaviour and ideation. This article therefore focuses on the linguistic features that serve to represent his inebriated state of mind. It analyses the semantic effects of those features primarily in terms of attentional focus, drawing on Cognitive Grammar concepts, such as objective construal, specificity, scope, profile and domain, and relating these to the protagonist’s cognitive proclivities for solipsism, partial awareness, delayed reaction, attenuated experience and self-delusion. The article also discusses the theoretical background for mind style analysis, arguing for the continued importance of focusing on the relationship between the text and a character’s mind, alongside the focus on the reader’s mind that has come to dominate cognitive stylistics.

Author(s):  
Любовь Николаевна Арбачакова ◽  
Ирина Анатольевна Невская

В данной статье на примерах расшифрованных рукописных текстов героических сказаний рассматриваются индивидуальные особенности словоупотребления сказителей. Сказители используют сходные стилистические и коммуникативно-прагматические средства. Во-первых, каждого из сказителей отличают особенности их родного диалекта или говора, как лексические, так и грамматические. Во-вторых, для современных сказителей типично широкое использование русских заимствований, как глобальных копирований, так и частичных. В-третьих, практически все исполнители используют просторечные стяженные формы глаголов, местоимений, существительных, характерные для устной речи. В-четвертых, сказители очень часто используют предпочитаемые ими коммуникативно-прагматические частицы, которые достаточно сложно перевести на русский язык и которые в обработанных фольклорных текстах часто опускаются их издателями (полза; тедир; ноо). В-пятых, у каждого исполнителя есть собственная (индивидуальная) лексика, употребляемая им во время эпического исполнения. Устный регистр исполнения эпического текста делает особенно проминентным использование коммуникативно-прагматических частиц. Каждый из рассмотренных сказителей предпочитает ту или иную частицу при том, что практически все они при исполнении используют все вышеупомянутые частицы. Эти частицы принадлежат устному регистру исполнения текста, помогая сказителю психологически настроиться на дальнейшее исполнение, собраться с мыслями и т. п. В то же время они выполняют важные семантические и прагматические функции. Тедир подчеркивает пересказывательность текста: как говорят, насколько я могу судить, по мере моего понимания, насколько я видел или слышал, как оказалось и т. п. Изä употребляется как маркер верности передачи смысла эпоса. Полза, широко использующееся в шорском языке как частица, маркирующая смену темы высказывания, в эпических текстах может становиться частицей, служащей для выражения повествовательного стилистического приема саспенс, помогающего сказителю повысить интерес слушателя к продолжению текста. При общности этих особенностей для всех представителей современного поколения сказителей конкретный выбор того или иного полнозначного слова, его формы или прагматической частицы являются индивидуальными для каждого из сказителей. По этим «собственным» сказительским словоупотреблениям и предпочтениям, как по почерку, можно определить личность кайчи. This article deals with individual peculiarities of word usage by Shor storytellers (qaychi’s). We have analyzed (and, partially, deciphered) a row of manuscripts of Shor heroic epic stories and delineated some linguistic features typical for a certain storyteller. Storytellers use similar or identical stylistic devices and communicative and pragmatic means. Firstly, each storyteller preserves the features of his or her dialect or subdialect, both lexical and grammatical ones. Secondly, modern storytellers widely use Russian borrowings as global or partial copies. Thirdly, practically all storytellers use typical for the spoken language contracted forms of verbs, verbal forms, pronouns and nouns. Fourthly, storytellers abundantly use communicative and pragmatic particles of their choice. Such particles are difficult for translation into Russian; they are often omitted in written editions of epic texts (e. g. polza, tedir, noo, etc.). Fifthly, each storyteller has its own individual expressions and words. The oral register of telling an epic story makes the use of communicative and pragmatic particles especially prominent. Each storyteller has his or her preferred particles used most often, although, of course, all particles can be used by any storyteller. Such particles help the storyteller to collect his or her thoughts, to communicate with the listeners, etc.; moreover, they fulfill very important semantic and pragmatic functions: Tedir stresses the hearsay evidentiality of epic texts or a certain distance of the speaker to the narrated events meaning ‘as one says, as people say, as far as I can judge, as far as I could understand, it has appeared (to me), etc.’ Izä in epic texts stresses the adequacy of a narration. Polza is used in Shor as a particle marking switch reference (as for …); in epics, it is a particle serving as a stylistic device suspense, and helping to raise the interest of the listeners in the continuation of the story. Even if these features are common to all storytellers whose epic texts we have analyzed, their choices of a certain word, expression or form are individual. Certain words and peculiarities of their usage indicate the personality of a storyteller, similar to his typical handwriting; both of them are individual and unique. Moreover, some usages give a clue to the emotions and the state of mind of the qaychi during his performance.


2001 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 146-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Torsten Schubert ◽  
Peter A. Frensch

Cowan assumes a unitary capacity-limited attentional focus. We argue that two main problems need to be solved before this assumption can complement theoretical knowledge about human cognition. First, it needs to be clarified what exactly the nature of the elements (chunks) within the attentional focus is. Second, an elaborated process model needs to be developed and testable assumptions about the proposed capacity limitation need to be formulated.


Author(s):  
Alberto Hijazo-Gascón ◽  
Reyes Llopis-García

Abstract This introduction provides an overview of the intersection between Applied Cognitive Linguistics and Second/Foreign Language Learning. First, the relevance of Cognitive Linguistics (CL) for Applied Linguistics in general is discussed. The second section explains the main principles of CL and how each relates to the acquisition of second languages: (i) language and human cognition, (ii) language as symbolic, (iii) language as motivated; and (iv) language as usage-based. Section three offers a review of previous literature on CL and L2s that are different from English, as it is one the main aims of this Special Issue to provide state-of-the-art research and scholarship to enhance the bigger picture of the field of Second Language Acquisition beyond English as the target language. Spanish as L2/FL in Applied Cognitive Linguistics is the focus of the next section, which leads to a brief overview of the papers included in the Issue, featuring Spanish as the L2 with L1s such as English, French, German and Italian. Polysemy, Motion Events Typology, Cognitive Grammar and Construction Grammar are the Cognitive Linguistics areas addressed in the contributions here presented.


2000 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-190
Author(s):  
Piotr Twardzisz

The focus of my analysis is the so-called existential construction. The languages examined are English, Swedish and Icelandic. The present article assumes the perspective of Ronald W. Langacker's cognitive grammar as the theoretical background. First of all, the assumption is that the unstressed, initial pronoun there, or its Scandinavian equivalents, are semantically definable as abstract-setting subjects of their respective sentences, with, possibly, the exception of Icelandic það. Secondly, the conceptualization of the existential scenes in the three languages is a dynamic process in each case. The dynamicity of the semantics of existential scenes is the result of assuming two planes, the actual and a virtual one, and establishing correspondences between them. The actual plane reflects our direct apprehension of reality. A virtual plane consists in the dynamic re-assignment of roles to the actual elements introduced by means of the virtual abstract-setting subject.


2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 198-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentyna Ushchyna

As in many other areas of life, the notion of risk has recently become central to discourses related to politics. This research article shows how political and media representatives use the notion of risk in their rhetoric, making it an important part of and a powerful resource for manipulation. It is demonstrated how stances taken by speakers on different political issues reflect their social, political and moral views, showing that risk has become a common construct around which a political situation in the modern world is described, organized and practiced. In most general terms, stance is understood here as the way of expressing one’s viewpoint concerning the object of interaction, which in this study is risk. The theoretical background of the research is situated within socially constructivist approaches to discourse analysis. We argue that risk has become one of the defining social and cultural characteristics of modern society. The research focuses on the ways stances on risks are constructed at the linguistic level by means of certain structural and formal qualities, and on how these linguistic features are related to social interaction under the conditions of political, moral, economic and social crisis in Ukraine.


Author(s):  
RAMAKRUSHNA SWAIN ◽  
NARENDRA KUMAR KAMILA

This paper focuses on current progress for the understanding of human cognition. Here different models have been considered such as MLP, FLANN, PNN, MLR, and HSN for recognition of one of the state of mind. It is argued that in addition to other models, PSO occupies a prominent place in the future of cognitive science, and that cognitive scientists should play an active role in the process. Baysian Approach in the same context has also discussed. The special case of predicting harm doing in a particular mental state has been experimented taking different models into account in depicting decision making as a process of probabilistic, knowledge-driven inference.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 349-373
Author(s):  
Rózsa Sándor ◽  
Hargitai Rita ◽  
Láng András ◽  
Hartung István ◽  
Martin László ◽  
...  

Elméleti háttér: A médiaeszközök számos típusa ismert. A személyes képességeken és a technikai lehetőségeken múlik azonban, hogy az információt fogadó fél a lehetőségek közül melyeket részesíti előnyben és milyen mértékben merül el a médiaeszközökön keresztül közvetített valóságban. A humán technológia álláspontja szerint a médiával való elmélyült foglakozás során a személy természetes környezetére irányuló figyelme háttérbe szorul, a befogadó sokszor a média által teremtett világ rabjává válik. A médiahasználat köti le az alkalmazó figyelmét, együtt mozog vele, mintha az maga a valóság lenne. A média valóságélményt kiváltó hatásában több személyes jellemző játszik szerepet. Cél: A tanulmány bemutatja a média személyes használatakor megjelenő belemerülési képesség egyik kérdőíves mérési lehetőségét, a Belemerülési Tendencia Kérdőívet, továbbá megvizsgálja a személyes prediszpozíciók egy csoportját, amelyek kapcsolatban lehetnek a hagyományos szórakoztató, valamint digitális kommunikációs eszközök használata során átélt belemerülés mértékének mutatóival. Módszerek: A keresztmetszeti, kérdőíves, hozzáférhetőségi mintavételi eljárást alkalmazó vizsgálatban 781 közép- és felsőfokú iskolai végzettséggel rendelkező személy vett részt [192 férfi, átlagéletkor: 28,6 (SD = 11,4) év és 589 nő, átlagéletkor: 28,4 (SD = 11,03) év]. A résztvevők budapesti, pécsi és kaposvári egyetemeken tanuló, illetve szakmai továbbképzéseken megjelenő személyek közül kerültek ki. Mérőeszközök: Belemerülési Tendencia Kérdőív (ITQ), Tellegen Abszorpciós Skála, Lelki Egészség Kontinuum Rövid Változat, Énkép Egyértelműség Skála, Szkizotípiás Személyiség Kérdőív Rövid Változata, Bergeni Facebook Addikciós Skála, valamint a Problémás Internet Használat Kérdőív. Eredmények: Az adatok megerősítették azt a korábbi elképzelést, miszerint az ITQ személyes részvétel skálája maladaptív funkciókhoz kapcsolódik, mint amilyen az abszorpciós képesség (r = 0,47; p = 0,003) és a szkizotípia (r = 0,36; p = 0,004). A számítógépes játék skála szintén pozitív irányú együttjárást mutat a maladaptív jellegű vonásokkal (abszorpciós képesség skála: r = 0,28; p = 0,002; szkizotípia: r = 0,19; p = 0,004). Ezzel szemben az ITQ figyelem fókusz skálája az adaptív funkciókat szolgáló vonásokhoz kapcsolódik (szelf-koherencia: r = 0,27; p = 0,003; lelki egészség: r = 0,43; p = 0,011). Továbbá rámutattunk arra, hogy számítógépes játékokra fordított idő növekedésével párhuzamosan a kognitív zavarok (β = 0,10; p = 0,012) és a mindennapi viselkedésben mutatkozó furcsa megnyilvánulások (β = 0,10; p = 0,016) száma is növekszik. Következtetések : Az ITQ skálái adaptáció és maladaptáció tekintetében eltérő módon mérik a médiaeszközök által közvetített valósághoz való viszonyt, ugyanakkor jól jellemzik a befogadó személy digitális környezethez való hozzáállásának ellentmon dásait.Theoretical background: A lot of the types of a media devices are commonly used. However, the application of these tools depends on personal capabilities, availability of adequate technical conditions, and individual preference to immersion into a mediated environment. The literature of human technology highlighted that when a person dealt with the contents of a digital massage his/her attention got withdrawn from his/her current environment. In same cases, the receiver of the mediated information becomes addicted to the easily controlled digital environment as if it would be a real physical environment. The manifestation of the filing of this type of virtual reality depends on personal capabilities and attitudes. Aims: We presented an assessment method repertoire of sense of immersion for social media and computer gaming and, applications involving the Immersive Tendency Questionnaire. Furthermore, we analyzed the personal pre-dispositions that play a role in the degree of immersion while a person is concerned with the mediated environment. Methods: In the study participated 781 graduated and post-graduated persons (192 male, mean age 28.5 [SD 11.4] years, and 589 females, mean age 28.4 [SD 11.03] years). Participants were recruited via a large university cohort (Budapest, Kaposvár, and Pécs). Used questionnaires: Immersion Tendency Questionnaire (ITQ), Tellegen Absorption Scale, Mental Health Continuum, Self-concept Clarity, Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire, Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale, and Problematic Internet Using Questionnaire. Results: Our data supported the earlier findings that the Involvement scale of the ITQ across the absorption capability (r = 0.47, p = 0.003) and schizotypy (r = 0.36, p = 0.004) associated with maladaptive personality functions. The rate of the computer gaming activity showed a similar maladaptive effect with absorption capability (r = 0.28, p = 0.002) and schizotypy (r = 0.19, p = 0.004). However, the Attentional focus scale of ITQ linked to adaptive personality function such as self-coherence (r = 0.27, p = 0.003) and mental health (r = 0.43, p = 0.011). Furthermore, data revealed that the frequent computer gaming can be associated with cognitive (β = 0.10, p = 0.012) and disorganized (β = 0.10, p = 0.016) factors of schizotypal personality questionnaire. Conclusion: The factor structure of ITQ is dual-faced so the scales measure the immersion into the mediated world in a different way. These results exactly describe the user’s contradictory relationship with the mediated environment.


2021 ◽  
Vol LXXVII (77) ◽  
pp. 211-226
Author(s):  
HUBERT KOWALEWSKI

Artykuł analizuje semantykę polskich liczebników głównych z zakresu 5-10 i 100. Analiza wykorzystuje model gramatyki kognitywnej proponowany przez Ronalda Langackera. Główna teza artykułu głosi, że ewolucja tych liczebników polegała na przesunięciu aspektu relacyjnego (tj. przymiotnikowego) do profilu liczebnika, w wyniku czego liczebniki stopniowo traciły swój rzeczownikowy charakter. Proces ten nie zaszedł jednak w pełni, gdyż niektóre liczebniki zachowały pewne gramatyczne własności rzeczownika. Takie przesunięcie profilu rozpatrywać można z kategoriach metonimii pojęciowej, a było ono możliwe dzięki wysokiej żywotności relacyjnego aspektu znaczenia względem aspektu rzeczownikowego. Polish cardinal numbers in light of Cognitive Grammar Summary: The article discusses the semantics of Modern Polish adjectival numerals from the range 5-10 and 100. The theoretical background for the analysis is Ronald Langacker’s Cognitive Grammar. The main assumption in the article is that the evolution of numerals consisted in shifting the relational (adjectival) aspect to the profile of the numeral, which resulted in the numerals gradually losing their nominal character. The process, however, has not been completed, since the numerals under discussion retain some of their original nominal properties. This profile shift, best accounted for in terms of conceptual metonymy, was facilitated by the high vitality of the relational aspect of meaning in relation to the nominal aspect.


2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-165
Author(s):  
Eric Rundquist

AbstractThis article establishes the theoretical bases for a more direct and detailed exploration of fictional minds in cognitive stylistics. This discipline usually analyzes narrative discourse in terms of how readers process language and conceptualize narrative meaning, treating literary language more or less explicitly as a window into readers’ mental experiences. However, it is also possible to treat literary language as a window into characters’ minds, which, in spite of their obvious fictionality, could enhance the potential for cognitive linguistic analysis to inform our understanding of the human mind and consciousness more generally. This article explores the nature of linguistic meaning in different speech and thought presentation techniques primarily through the lens of Langacker’s Cognitive Grammar, ultimately prioritizing the representational semantics of Free Indirect Thought. It proposes a more precise understanding of the concept of ‘conceptualizer’ which would validate a type of mind style analysis that is more narrowly focused on illuminating the underlying mental activity of fictional characters instead of readers. It demonstrates this type of focus with a brief analysis of a passage from Charles Jackson’s The Lost Weekend.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Eleonora J. Beier ◽  
Suphasiree Chantavarin ◽  
Gwendolyn Rehrig ◽  
Fernanda Ferreira ◽  
Lee M. Miller

In recent years, a growing number of studies have used cortical tracking methods to investigate auditory language processing. Although most studies that employ cortical tracking stem from the field of auditory signal processing, this approach should also be of interest to psycholinguistics—particularly the subfield of sentence processing—given its potential to provide insight into dynamic language comprehension processes. However, there has been limited collaboration between these fields, which we suggest is partly because of differences in theoretical background and methodological constraints, some mutually exclusive. In this paper, we first review the theories and methodological constraints that have historically been prioritized in each field and provide concrete examples of how some of these constraints may be reconciled. We then elaborate on how further collaboration between the two fields could be mutually beneficial. Specifically, we argue that the use of cortical tracking methods may help resolve long-standing debates in the field of sentence processing that commonly used behavioral and neural measures (e.g., ERPs) have failed to adjudicate. Similarly, signal processing researchers who use cortical tracking may be able to reduce noise in the neural data and broaden the impact of their results by controlling for linguistic features of their stimuli and by using simple comprehension tasks. Overall, we argue that a balance between the methodological constraints of the two fields will lead to an overall improved understanding of language processing as well as greater clarity on what mechanisms cortical tracking of speech reflects. Increased collaboration will help resolve debates in both fields and will lead to new and exciting avenues for research.


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