Cognitive Grammar: A Basic Introduction [Paperback]

Ronald W. Langacker (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195331966 | ISBN-13: 978-0195331967 | Publication Date: February 4, 2008

This book fills a long standing need for a basic introduction to Cognitive Grammar that is current, authoritative, comprehensive, and approachable. It presents a synthesis that draws together and refines the descriptive and theoretical notions developed in this framework over the course of three decades. In a unified manner, it accommodates both the conceptual and the social-interactive basis of linguistic structure, as well as the need for both functional explanation and explicit structural description. Starting with the fundamentals, essential aspects of the theory are systematically laid out with concrete illustrations and careful discussion of their rationale. Among the topics surveyed are conceptual semantics, grammatical classes, grammatical constructions, the lexicon-grammar continuum characterized as assemblies of symbolic structures (form-meaning pairings), and the usage-based account of productivity, restrictions, and well-formedness. The theory's central claim - that grammar is inherently meaningful - is thereby shown to be viable. The framework is further elucidated through application to nominal structure, clause structure, and complex sentences. These are examined in broad perspective, with exemplification from English and numerous other languages. In line with the theory's general principles, they are discussed not only in terms of their structural characterization, but also their conceptual value and functional motivation. Other matters explored include discourse, the temporal dimension of language structure, and what grammar reveals about cognitive processes and the construction of our mental world.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...must be commended for its style and language...reading it is a very enjoyable experience...an extremely valuable reference work for scholars...a 'must read'... Tore Nesset, Linguistics

About the Author

Ronald W. Langacker retired after 37 years as Professor of Linguistics at the University of California, San Diego. He was originally trained in generative linguistics, and worked for a decade on the Uto-Aztecan family of Native American languages. Since 1976 he has been developing the theory of Cognitive Grammar (a radical alternative to generative theory) as part of the broader tradition of cognitive linguistics.

Product Details

• Paperback: 584 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (February 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195331966
• ISBN-13: 978-0195331967
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #564,139 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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