Abstract
This paper introduces a theory about the role of language in learning physics. The theory is developed in the context of physics students and physicists talking and writing about the subject of quantum mechanics. We found that physicists' language encodes different varieties of analogical models through the use of grammar and conceptual metaphor. We hypothesize that students categorize concepts into ontological categories based on the grammatical structure of physicists' language. We also hypothesize that students overextend and misapply conceptual metaphors in physicists' speech and writing. Using our theory, we will show how, in some cases, we can explain student difficulties in quantum mechanics as difficulties with language.
Highlights
To be able to explain how language works in physics, we found it necessary to introduce the formal categories of analogy, metaphor, grammar, 1554-9178/2007/3͑1͒/010105͑16͒
Lakoff and Johnson[25] have hypothesized that human language and the human conceptual system are largely made up of unconscious conceptual metaphors. We have extended this idea to physics by suggesting that physicists speak and write using conceptual metaphors
If we look at the matter-wave analogy in QM, we can consider that a water wave or an electromagnetic wave is the prototypical example that will serve as the base of the analogy
Summary
The goal of this paper is to present a theoretical framework explaining the role of spoken and written language in physics. This framework can be used to probe how physicists represent their ideas in language and, more importantly, to understand how physics students interpret language they read and hear. It has been suggested that humans divide the world into ontological categories of matter, processes, and mental states.[41] we will show that this idea can be applied to models in physics. Lakoff and Johnson[25] have shown that systems of conceptual metaphors are based on ontological metaphors These ontological metaphors often give abstract concepts an existence as concrete objects or things. Ontological physical states have unique grammatical representations, through the use of grammatical location
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