Delivered at:: School of Linguistics

Course type:: Compulsory course

When:: 1 year, 1, 2 module

Instructor

Коношенко Мария Борисовна

Full Syllabus

Abstract

The course presupposes an introduction to functional and cognitive linguistics as opposed to formal approaches to natural language such as generative grammar. The course comprises several lectures on main tenets, methodological peculiarities and the most important domains of research in functional linguistics, as well as discussions of various case studies and seminal papers. Students enrolled in the course Functional approaches to natural language have to cope with several tasks before and in class: they write analytical and argumentative essays, go over the reading materials that their instructor sends to them, prepare presentations of the given papers in small groups, and discuss problematic issues in class.

Learning Objectives

to introduce students to theoretical apparatus, key notions, history, heritage and main principles of functional and cognitive linguistics, the form vs. function controversy in modern linguistics
to introduce students to the mainstream branches and schools of functional and cognitive linguistics
to introduce students to methodological aspects of functional and cognitive linguistics
to introduce students to critical thinking and reasoning within and outside cognitive linguistics
to introduce students to the most salient papers (in English) on various aspects of functional and cognitive linguistics

Expected Learning Outcomes

is able to collect empirical data and apply methodological principles to various theoretical tasks
is able to make empirical observations and theoretical generalizations
is able to understand, interpret and discuss papers (in English) on various aspects of functional and cognitive linguistics
understands main conceptions of the most significant scientific cognitive linguistics schools
understands the subject of cognitive linguistics, its fields, connections with other (cognitive) sciences

Course Contents

Introduction
Main principles of CL
Methodological issues
Cognitive Models of Language Acquisition
Beyond (spoken) language

Assessment Elements

Essay 1
Essay 2
Oral presentation
Group home assignment: reading and presenting a paper or a case-study in a small group
Class participation
Discussing problematic issues in class

Interim Assessment

2021/2022 2nd module
0.3 * Essay 2 + 0.3 * Essay 1 + 0.2 * Class participation + 0.2 * Oral presentation

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Dąbrowska, E., & Divjak, D. (2015). Handbook of Cognitive Linguistics. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=nlebk&AN=1000461

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Evans, V. Cognitive Linguistics: An Introduction / Vyvyan Evans, Melanie Green. - Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2006. – 830 p. – ISBN 9780748618323. – Текст: электронный // DB Proquest Ebook Central (ebrary) [сайт]. - URL: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-

Master’s Programme 'Linguistic Theory and Language Description'

Functional Approaches to Natural Language