Cognitive Semantic Approach Research Articles

前置詞学習における認知意味論的指導に関する一考察 : 前置詞at,in,onに焦点を当てて

前置詞学習における認知意味論的指導に関する一考察 : 前置詞at,in,onに焦点を当てて

CONCEPTUALISATION OF DEATH AND RESURRECTION IN THE HOLY QURAN: A COGNITIVE-SEMANTIC APPROACH

Conceptual metaphor is the discursive linguistic strategy employed in the Holy Quran to imprint upon the human mind the Quranic worldview. This approach can better explain the abstract concepts of death and resurrection in the Holy Quran through cross domain mapping with human experiential concepts. Traditional exegetes and rhetoricians missed this phenomenon in the Holy Quran because of their preoccupation with rhetorical and theological aspects of death and resurrection. The existing cognitive semantic research has also paid little or no attention to the investigation of death and resurrection in the Holy Quran. Therefore, this paper attempts to investigate the conceptual metaphor themes of death and resurrection in the Holy Quran. Data were retrieved from the Holy Quran on the basis of key words and phrases encapsulating the abstract concepts of death and resurrection. The analysis of data reveals various conceptual metaphor themes. It is also found that the data question the asymmetrical hypothesis of conceptual metaphor theory and its role as a sole model of metaphor interpretation. This study is part of the growing research on conceptual metaphor in the Holy Quran and is hoped to contribute to further research on the cognitive semantic analysis of the Holy Quran. Keywords: cognition, cognitive-semantic, conceptual metaphor, experiential gestalt, QuranCite as: Khan, S. & Ali, R. (2016). Conceptualisation of death and resurrection in the holy Quran: A cognitive-semantic approach. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 1(2), 11-24.

The Functions And Linguistic Analysis Of Metaphor In The Holy Qur’an

The paper aims to tackle the function of metaphor in the Qur’an within the theoretical framework put forward by Lakoff & Turner (1989). This theory is known as the Cognitive Theory of Metaphor. It shows how the Qur’an is structured around the idea of the variety of meaning of lexical items, and how every correspondence between the two domains of “literal” and “non-literal” can fit into it. However, such an application of cognitive semantic approach can provide valuable insights. These insights enhance the overall aim of this paper which is to prove the linguistic creativity of the Qur'an through applying the cognitive theory of metaphor. This paper outlines the basis from which the Qur'an should be considered not only as a book of religious teachings, but also as a linguistic miracle for Arabs (Elsharif, 2011). The structure of this paper is presented as follows. First, we introduce the theoretical background and arguments of this study. Afterwards, we underline the significance of this study and its contribution to the field. In the following section, we present the definition and function of metaphor. Next, we embark on the linguistic analysis of metaphor in the holy Qur’an, metaphorical language and its use in discourse, and metaphor and Islamic religious discourse. Finally, we end the essay with a concluding paragraph.

How do Koreans break and cut things?: A cognitive-semantics approach to BREAK predicates and CUT predicates in Korean

How do Koreans break and cut things?: A cognitive-semantics approach to BREAK predicates and CUT predicates in Korean

Persuasion and Manipulation Through Conceptual Metaphors in George Ridpath’s Political Writings (1707–1709)

The role of the press in politics has always been relevant and noted as it constitutes a way to spread ideologies, to shape and manipulate the readers’ opinions, as well as to move and make people join a specific leader or beliefs. Therefore, we could claim that the press is a key persuasive weapon at politicians’ disposal. From this standpoint, we have analyzed figurative language in George Ridpath’s political writings for The Observator with the aim of examining how this author used conceptual metaphors and metaphtonymies as a weapon to shape and manipulate Great Britain’s public opinion during the Stuart period. For this, we have employed the cognitive semantic approach of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory originated by Lakoff and Johnson (1980) and Charteris-Black’s pragmatic Critical Metaphor Analysis (2004), since both of them help us interpret and explain the associations that underlie metaphor and how writers conceptualize abstract concepts from bodily experiences to create political myths. Our findings aim at revealing which persuasive metaphorical devices Ridpath used to manipulate public opinion and have permitted us to value his contribution as a very influential, yet controversial, pamphleteer who wrote about the War of the Spanish Succession from Great Britain’s viewpoint.

A cognitive semantic approach to Redeemer (Gō’ēl) in Deutero Isaiah

This study draws on cognitive semantics to explore the radial category nature of Redeemer (Gō’ēl) as depicted by Holy One of Israel in Deutero‑Isaiah and the thematic commonalties of the passages involved. The earthly office of Gō’ēl exhibits a radial structure of four models that entail several senses of the concept the people of Israel associated with the office of redeemer, these are: 1) Pentateuchal Model; 2) Royal Model; 3) Marital Model; and 4) Avenger Model. Pertinent to the discussion is the way in which Isaiah extends the title by pairing Redeemer with the Holy One of Israel six times in chapters 41, 43, 47, 48, 49, and 54 suggesting Gō’ēl fulfills a sacred office associated with restoring the broken covenant relationship between Yahweh and Israel. A fifth structural component to the sacred office, the Holiness Model, is proposed which suggests a five model structure for the category of Redeemer.

A Cognitive Semantics Approach to Japanese Verb nuku

A Cognitive Semantics Approach to Japanese Verb nuku

How semantic technologies transform e-government domain

Purpose – In e-government domain, an efficient semantic interoperability of services is a big challenge. In this context, semantic technologies play a fundamental role in numerous e-government programs. Indeed, these technologies enable enriching the public service description provided by different public administrations with additional semantic information, which allows automatic services processing and information exchange between involved members in comprehensive and interpretable manner, thus facilitating service integration and cooperation. The most frequently used technologies in this area are semantic web services (SWS) technology and ontology. Thus, for modelling efficiently public services, the authors have exploring, studying and analyzing some of e-government researches and projects that applied semantic technologies. Design/methodology/approach – In this paper, the authors address how semantic technologies transform the e-government domain through exploring and studying the use of SWS and ontology in numerous researches and projects applying these technologies in this area. Then, the authors have compared them through a set of criteria defined according to e-government requirements such as the SWS modelling approach for describing semantically public services, ontologies for representing governmental specific features (e.g. regulation and organizational structures) and developed portal for supporting user ' s perspectives. Based on this study, the authors have identified the appropriate standards, frameworks, and models for developing the framework. Findings – The authors have developed a framework for public services which enhances existing approaches with additional aspects. Thus, the approach comparing to other works improves the service ontology with a cognitive semantic approach to support the multiple usage contexts and situations of services. This semantic is developed in form of a Sit/Ctx ontology developed based on CSs model represented through conceptual graphs theory. The authors have used this model besides OWL-S, improving thus the level of automation of discovery and composition process of public services, which become more efficient with taken into consideration their interrelations and situations. Originality/value – The approach comparing to other works improves the service ontology with a cognitive semantic approach to support the multiple usage contexts and situations of public services, providing thus the end-users (people and enterprises) a better orientation in discovery process.

Multimodal metaphors in political entertainment

Metaphor is one of the primary ways we accommodate and assimilate information and experience into our conceptual organization of the world. The present study investigates the internal cognitive mechanisms of multimodal-metaphor construction in the television genre of animated political cartoons. Taking a cognitive-semantic approach, we analyze how zoomorphs are constructed by the audience when they first appear. The study concludes by describing the potential of multimodal-metaphor analysis as a methodological tool.

Representing part–whole relations in conceptual spaces

In this paper, we propose a cognitive semantic approach to represent part-whole relations. We base our proposal on the theory of conceptual spaces, focusing on prototypical structures in part-whole relations. Prototypical structures are not accounted for in traditional mereological formalisms. In our account, parts and wholes are represented in distinct conceptual spaces; parts are joined to form wholes in a structure space. The structure space allows systematic similarity judgments between wholes, taking into consideration shared parts and their configurations. A point in the structure space denotes a particular part structure; regions in the space represent different general types of part structures. We argue that the structural space can represent prototype effects: structural types are formed around typical arrangements of parts. We also show how structure space captures the variations in part structure of a given concept across different domains. In addition, we discuss how some taxonomies of part-whole relations can be understood within our framework.

Vocab SIG: A cognitive semantic approach to L2 learning of phrasal verbs

This quasi-experimental study investigated the contributions of a paired-associate learning method and a semantic analysis method for enhancing Japanese EFL learners’ knowledge of phrasal verbs. In addition, since dual coding theory argues that basic image schemas of the orientation of particles create opportunities for deeper memory traces, a third treatment was included. It consisted of a semantic analysis along with basic pictures showing the direction of a trajectory in relation to a landmark. The results of the three treatments revealed participants who received the semantic analysis and those who received the semantic analysis plus basic pictures treatment outperformed the paired-associate group on the test. Based on the initial findings, it appears a semantic analysis approach is an effective teaching method that should be used to help learners overcome the confusion experienced when using phrasal verbs. 本論では準実験的研究法を使用し、日本人英語学習者の句動詞に関する語彙知識強化における、対連合学習法 (Paired-Associate Learning Method) と意味論的分析学習法 (Semantic Analysis Method) の貢献度を調査した。さらに、二重符号化理論 (Dual Coding Theory) に基づく主張、すなわち、方向性を示す副詞不変化詞の基本的イメージスキーマによってより深い記憶定着の機会が与えられるという論に基づき、第3の方法を設定した。これは、意味論的分析と共に、目標物と関係づけられた移動軌跡の方向性を示すイメージを与えるものである。以上3種類の方法を行った後、事後テストと遅延事後テストにおいて語彙記憶の保持を測定した結果、意味論的分析を受けた群および、意味論的分析に加えイメージを与えられた被験者群で、対連合学習法の被験者群を上回る結果が示された。この初期調査の結果、意味論的分析が、学習者が句動詞を使用する際に経験する混同を克服する助けとなる効果的な教授法であることが示唆された。

Коммуникология и лингвистика: долговременное сотрудничество

The article looks at the contribution of cognitive-semantic approach in linguistics into communication science. It is argued that verbal communication is viewed as a creative process that has cognitive background. It performs a reshaping function towards the language in its turn, too.

Time, Space and Motion in Braid: A Cognitive Semantic Approach to a Video Game

The paper (1) analyses the computer game Braid with regard to the TIME IS SPACE/MOTION metaphor and the multimodal approach, (2) links the possibilities of such a study to the existing studies of temporality in video games, and (3) explores the link between the game’s narrative and its gameplay mechanics based on the TIME IS SPACE/MOTION metaphor. The theoretical section briefly overviews Conceptual Metaphor Theory, the TIME IS SPACE/MOTION metaphor, multimodality, CMT in video games, time in video games, as well as several studies related to the game. The main section investigates Braid so as to evaluate the ways in which the TIME IS SPACE/MOTION metaphor operates within each of the game worlds and how this affects the narrative and the gameplay. The complex, unconventional relations existing among time, space, motion and causality result in a unique coupling between the narrative and the use of the TIME IS SPACE/MOTION metaphor.

Visual pragmatic effects of distance representation in bilingual museum catalogue entries of Chinese landscape paintings

In view of the fact that the purely cognitive semantic approach adopted in previous studies on the representation of distance is not adequate, the present paper argues, from a perspective of visual perception theory, that the verbalisation of language-independent distance-related information (e.g. visual Distance Cues) also contributes to distance representation. Then, a cognitive-functional model is proposed to explore the visual pragmatic effects of the distance representation in bilingual museum catalogue entries of Chinese landscape paintings, through investigating the presentation and focalisation of distance expressions. Unlike previous research, the expressions under investigation cover both the spatial expressions that can induce a sense of distance and the verbalised non-linguistic Distance Cues. Based upon the results, the visual pragmatic effects of distance representation are analysed with the focus on how verbal methods of representing distance are applied to facilitate the viewer's appreciation of ‘Three Distances’ (i.e. high distance, level distance or deep distance) emphasised in Chinese landscape paintings.

A cognitive semantic approach to the polysemous word ‘walk’

A cognitive semantic approach to the polysemous word ‘walk’

Antonymy

This article offers a Cognitive Semantic approach to antonymy in language and thought. Based on a series of recent empirical investigations using different observational techniques, we analyze (i) the nature of the category of antonymy, and (ii) the status of its members in terms of goodness of opposition. Our purpose is to synthesize these empirical investigations and provide a theoretical framework that is capable of accounting for antonymy as a mode of thought in language use and meaning-making. We show that antonymy has conceptual basis, but in contrast to other lexico-semantic construals, a limited number of words seem to have special lexical status as dimensional protagonists. Form–meaning pairings are antonyms when they are used as binary opposites. Configurationally, this translates into a construal where some content is divided by a BOUNDARY. This configuration (or schema) is a necessary requirement for meanings to be used as antonyms and all antonyms have equal status as members. In contrast to categorization by configuration, categorization by contentful meaning structures forms a continuum ranging from strongly related pairings as core members to ad hoc couplings on the outskirts. In order to explain why some lexico-semantic couplings tend to form conventionalized pairs, we appeal to their ontological set-up, the symmetry of the antonyms in relation to the boundary between the meaning structures, their contextual range of use and frequency.

A Cognitive-semantic Approach to the Non-temporal Meanings of English Past Tense

The purpose of this study is to present an unified and systematic account for the multiple uses of English past tense based on a cognitive-semantic approach. In this study, it is suggested that the non-temporal meanings of past tense in English are extended from its temporal senses through conceptual metaphorization in a cognitively oriented way. This study also claims that a relationship between the non-temporal uses of English past tense and its temporal function is licensed by virtue of a conceptual correlation between the speaker`s conceptual dimension and the proximal-distal distinction, presenting cognitive-semantic factors such as possibiliy, cognitive salience, cognitive commitment to actuality, indirectness, and so on. In a pedagogical context this kind of approach may be useful to draw EFL learners` attention to those cognitive-semantic aspects of English past tense that are especailly relevant for its pragmatically motivated uses. Following an analysis of the non-temporal meanings of the past tense on the basis of a cognitive-semantic approach, pedagogical implications are offered for teaching the non-temporal uses of English past tense.

A Study on the Semantics of Preposition Of: Based on Prototype Theory and Cognitive Categorization

Traditionally, with its inherent property as an unmarked grammatical entity, the preposition of has been classified as a category of function words. However, cognitive grammarians claim that the preposition of has its own meanings. From a cognitive-semantic perspective, this study aims to examine how the diverse and apparently different meanings of the preposition of are related in a cognitively-oriented way. In this study, it is proposed that based on the historical origin of of, the concept of 'separation' is considered as a prototypical meaning, since it is the most easily depictive and conceptualized in the spatial-physical domain of human cognition. As for the cognitive-semantic factors that categorize the multiple meanings of the preposition of, it is claimed that the semantic properties, such as the degree of prototypicality, concreteness, and lexicality, play a decisive role in determining the fuzziness in its meaning. Finally, it is suggested that a cognitive-semantic approach to the diverse meanings of the preposition of provides us with a relevant perspective to understand its multiple functions.

A cognitive semantic approach to the linguistic construal of UPPER SPACE in Southern Ndebele

This paper investigates the expression of spatial notions in Southern Ndebele (S. Ndebele), especially the four etymologically-related terms phezu (kwa-+N), phezulu, ngaphezu (kwa-+N) and ngaphezulu. They serve to express orientational and topological notions referring to UPPER SPACE. Starting with the descriptive task of demarcating their respective meanings and uses, the discussion involves important cognitive semantic parameters. The analysis shows that these locatives are best understood as etymologically-related radial categories which have undergone different diachronic developments, notwithstanding considerable overlap. They are all highly context-sensitive. Here, the focus lies on the semantics of co-occurring landmark and trajector noun phrases. Verbs often bear valency-related derivational morphology when used with these locatives whose status in terms of syntactic category is therefore not entirely clear. Consequently, it is problematic to characterise S. Ndebele with regard to Slobin's typology of verb- and satellite-framed languages. A plausible hypothesis (requiring further research) is that the Nguni languages are borderline cases, undergoing a diachronic move from rather verb-framed to more satellite-framed — with the concomitant changes in the construal of locative expressions. A first step towards an answer is presented here: the detailed cognitive-semantic analysis of synchronic polysemy and historical semantic changes of the spatial terms under study.

Speaking With Forked Tongue: A Comparative Study of Metaphor and Metonymy in English and Malay Phraseology

In this article, I employ a cognitive semantic approach to compare figurative uses of 3 oral body parts ("mouth," "lip," and "tongue") in English and Malay phraseology to establish whether either language shows an orientation toward metaphor or metonymy. The main finding is that where figurative language is being employed for the similar discourse function of offering an evaluation, though each language shows evidence of both figures-as well as blends between them-English has a tendency toward metonymy whereas Malay has a tendency toward metaphor. This is explained with reference to cultural differences in attitude toward facial expressions and in stylistic preferences; in English for hyperbole and in Malay for euphemism. This is because of cultural pressures toward the more encrypted style of metaphor in Malay. A better knowledge of the linguistic characteristics of figurative phrases provides a rich source of insight into cultural differences.