COGNITIVE GRAMMAR PEDAGOGY: THE CASE OF “FIND”

NOORLINDA ALANG

MEd TESL

University of Malaya

This paper is presented in partial fulfillment

of the requirements for the course

General Linguistics for TESL

Faculty of Education

University of Malaya

Dr. Jessie Grace U. Rubrico, Facilitator

PBGS 6304, Semester 2, AY 2009-2010

April 2010

Linguistics

Definition: The study of language in general and of particular languages, their

structure, grammar and history (Longman Dictionary, 2003)

Subfields: phonetics, phonology, morphology,

grammar, syntax, semantics and pragmatics

Is learnt to enrich awareness of the

humankind as it is closely related to human

interaction

Cognitive Linguistics

COGNITIVE LINGUISTICS

1970S

Rejected dominant ideas

Human cognition

Human communication and encounters

According to Matsumoto (2008), CL emerged in the 1970s due to the disapproval of the

mainstream ideas that language is not part of cognition. In CL, language lies heavily on

human cognition and it expands throughout human communication.

Cognitive Linguistics: Concepts

Core concepts &

Goals

The Status of Linguistic Cognition

The Status of Meaning

The Status of

Prediction

The Embodiment of Meaning

The Structure

of Cognitive

Categories

Mental Spaces

and Mapping

2 most relevant CL concepts (1) The status of meaning: Language occurrences are propelled by the

necessity to convey meaning. The presence of all linguistics units are supported by meaning, not any is

semantically blank. (2) The Embodiment of meaning: Meaning is fixed in the shared human experience; acts

as a basis for understanding abundant concepts.

(Janda, 2006)

Cognitive Linguistics: Main Areas

Separate in practice but

their domains of inquiry are tightly linked

Cognitive Semantics

Cognitive Grammar

Cognitive semantics: The investigation of knowledge representation (conceptual structure) and meaning

construction (conceptualization). Language is employed as a channel through which cognitive phenomena

can be understood. Cognitive Grammar: The modeling of a language system (the mental grammar).

(Evans et al., 2007)

Cognitive Grammar

The mental grammar

An inventory of symbolic units

Constant application

Entrenched

Fluency

Form-meaning pairing

According to Langacker (1987), knowledge of language (mental grammar) is stored in the

mind as symbolic units (form-meaning pairing). If they are applied constantly without

hesitation, it means they have become entrenched; they become a habit or routine and the

speaker is able to use them fluently.

(Evans et al., 2007)

Cognitive Grammar: A Mental Inventory

The storeroom of entrenched symbolic units

The contents are not stored in a random way

It is structured based on relationships between units

Some units are subparts of other units

E.g. morphemes make up words, words make up phrases, phrases make up

sentences

These interlinking and overlapping relationships among units are called

network

The mental inventory is created upon the

entrenchment. It is a major issue in 2nd

language acquisition. Due to CL, the

frequent occurrence of a certain linguistic

units facilitates the target language

construction that leads to the entrenchment.

(Matsumoto, 2008)

Cognitive Grammar: Pedagogy

In understanding the symbolic units or the

linguistic criterion of the target language

The target units clash with the

native ones

Steadily the target units

obtains independence

from the native ones

Learners’ mind must be tuned

to set apart between the meaning of

new units and the meaning

of the available ones

Learning the forms as well

as learning the

conceptual structures (meaning)

(Matsumoto, 2009)

THE COGNITIVE PROCESS IN 2ND LANGUAGE LEARNING

Theory of Language: The Innatist Model

Language is rule-based and generative in nature

Processed and produced through complicated cognitive processes

An innate mental capacity for language (Language Acquisition

Device LAD)

The language has a universal nature

(Universal Grammar UG)

‘The Critical Period Hypothesis’

The Innatist Model of Chomsky (1955) and Lenneberg (1967) as cited in

Suharno (2009), is believed to be useful as a guiding principle in applying

cognitive grammar to language pedagogy.

Theory of Learning: Cognitive Constructivism

What goes on "inside the

learner's head”

Stress on mental processes rather than observable

behavior

Learners dynamically

construct the knowledge

It is vital to understanding the learners’ background

knowledge or schemata

In developing the instructional design for cognitive grammar pedagogy, Cognitive

Constructivism Theory (as cited by Perry, 1999) is scrutinized further.

Cognitive Constructivism: Concerns

Knowledge Learning Motivation Instruction

According to Perry (1999), as knowledge is discovered by the learners themselves, the

teacher’s role is to assist the learning by supplying the essential resources. To succeed,

learners must possess intrinsic motivation and supported by appropriate instructional

methods that enable them to modify the new information based on their schemata.

Cognitive Grammar: The Application

Objectives

To promote the learner’s insight into the foreign language system

To make learners learn by thinking about and trying to make sense of what they see, feel and hear

To maximize communicative competence and accuracy in language use

Content

Cognitive Constructivism

Approach

InnatistModel

Classroom Instruction

Learning Techniques & Activities

Problem-based

learning

Discovery learning

Cognitive strategies

Project-based

learning

Learners need to be involved with activities that make them think critically before coming

up with meaningful analysis. Thus, Suharno (2009) suggests these four techniques to be

associated with a cognitive theory of language learning.

The Case of “find”: Reasons

Every Malay-speaking learner of

English knows the verb find

They are not fully aware the verb find can take various

types of complements

Reasons of choosing

“find”

The Case of “find”: Definitions

Get by searching

See by chance

Discover state of someone/somet

hing

Do something without

meaning to

Learn something by study

Think/feel

Experience

Exist in a placeGet enough

money/time etc

In a court of law

(Matsumoto, 2008)

Get by searching

• I can’t find the car keys.

• Can you find me my bag?

• The child was eventually found safe and well.

See by chance

• Look what I’ve found!

• I didn’t expect to come home and find this gift.

Discover state of something / someone

• He tried the door and found it unlocked.

• She looked at her glass and was amazed to find it was empty.

Do something without meaning to

• She woke up and found herself in a hospital bed.

• He found he was shaking.

Learn something by study

• I managed to find a solution to the problem.

• His study found that married men and women had similar spending patterns.

Think / feel

• Will Gary and Gail find happiness together?

• She finds it a strain to meet new people.

Experience

• We found the beds very comfortable.

• I found the people to be charming and very friendly.

Exist in a place

• You’ll find this style of architecture all over the town.

Get enough money / time etc

• He’s struggling to find the time, the support, and the resource to do all this.

In a court of law (to make official decision)

• The jury found him guilty of manslaughter.

Conclusion

Main concerns:

Entrenchment of the symbolic units (form-

meaning pairing)

Knowledge are constructed actively

by learners

Learning the form and the conceptual structure (meaning)

simultaneously

Theory of language learning:

Innatist Model & Cognitive

Constructivism

Techniques:

Project based learning, Problem-

based learning, discovery learning, cognitive strategies

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