Abstract

 

As an important research filed of psychology, cognition also plays a vital role in language learning. Cognition and language are both based on the factual experience. Cognition is the basis of language which decides the development of language; but language can also react on the cognition and promote the improvement of cognition. Therefore, cognition and language have the close relation and interact with each other. Some linguists have begun to do research on the relation of them and developed cognitive linguistic (CL). Now with the development of language education, more and more linguists and teachers begin to study on cognitive linguistic and make use of it to enhance the language teaching efficiency and quality. In China, English is the most common second language and it is also a main subject in compulsory education and secondary education. Vocabulary and sentence pattern is two important parts of English. But most students find these two parts are difficult to handle especially for those beginners. Thus based on the theoretical support of linguistic and the research results that is done by others before, this paper does a summary on the way to use cognitive linguistic on English vocabulary and sentence pattern teaching. To some degree it can promote the efficiency of English education especially English class teaching in China.

This paper is composed of six parts. The first part is the introduction about this paper including its research background and the significance of this thesis. And the second is the literature review. With the reference of many thesis and books about Cognitive Linguistics written by linguists, teachers and scholars, I draw out the definition of Cognitive Linguistics. From the elaborate analysis made by those linguists, I have got a clear an idea on the category of Cognitive Linguistics and make a brief introduction about some important items as well as the essence of Cognitive Linguistics. Then I chose some parts of Cognitive Linguistics studying filed and built the overall theoretical framework of my paper. Then I refer to some experimental materials about the application of Cognitive Linguistics in English Class teaching and find out the theoretical basis on those practical applications. The third parts of this paper is the study and application of Cognitive Linguistics in English vocabulary teaching. In this part firstly I explained the influence that cognition makes on words’ meaning derivation and then I set some specific and typical examples, which includes some class activities, on how to apply Cognitive Linguistics’ theory in English vocabulary teaching. The next part is the study and application of Cognitive Linguistics in English sentence pattern teaching. In this part I first made the explanation on the important component of one sentence---construction. Then based on the class experiments made by other researchers I set some typical examples on how to apply Cognitive Linguistics in construction teaching such as filled construction teaching, partially filed construction teaching and unfilled construction teaching. Besides, there are some tips for more advanced students to learn construction. As we all know, vocabulary and sentence are two interconnected parts in every language. Therefore, I connect English vocabulary teaching to sentence pattern teaching and put forward my advice on their joint teaching. The last part of this paper is the summary on the advantages and disadvantages of Cognitive Linguistics’ application in English teaching.

Keywords: cognitive linguistic; English teaching; vocabulary; sentence pattern

 

Contents

Abstract

摘  要

1.Introduction-1

1.1 Research Background-1

1.2 Significance of the Thesis-1

2. Literature Review-2

2.1 Definition of Cognitive Linguistics-2

2.2Categories of Cognitive Linguistics-2

2.3 Essence of Cognitive Linguistics-3

2.4Theoretical Framework-3

2.4.1 Cognitive Linguistics Theory about English Vocabulary Learning-3

2.4.2 Prototype Theory-3

2.4.3 Conceptual Metaphor-4

2.4.4 Contextual Theory-4

2.5 The Application of Cognitive Linguistics in English Vocabulary Teaching-4

2.5.1 Core Vocabulary-4

2.5.2 Language Chunk-5

2.5.3 Analysis and Synthesis-5

2.6 The Application of Cognitive Linguistics in Sentence Pattern Teaching-5

2.6.1 Grammar, sentence and construction-5

2.6.2 The Application of Cognitive Linguistic in Sentence Pattern Teaching-6

2.6.3 The Application of Cognitive Linguistic in Idiomatic Study ----Container Schematic Features of Idioms.-6

2.7 Conclusion-7

3.-Study and Application of Cognitive Linguistics in English Vocabulary Teaching-7

3.1Relations of Vocabulary Derivation and Cognition-7

3.1.1 How does cognition work on vocabulary’s meaning expansion—Take “Eye, See and Look” as examples-7

3.1.2 Cognitive Linguistics’ views on word’s meaning and usage-8

3.2 Application of cognitive linguistic in Vocabulary Teaching-9

3.2.1 Word network: hyponymy and schematicity-9

3.2.2 Embodiment-11

3.2.3 Iconicity-11

3.2.4 Knowledge type and encyclopaedic meaning-12

4.-Study and Application of Cognitive Linguistics in English Sentence Pattern Teaching-13

4.1The significance of sentence pattern teaching-13

4.2Construction—the basic element of sentences-13

4.2.1 The definition of construction-13

4.2.2 Why English learners should learn construction-14

4.3 Application of CL in English sentence patterns teaching-15

4.3.1 Introduction-15

4.3.2 Teaching filled constructions: idioms-15

4.3.3. Teaching partially filled constructions: lexis and morphemes-16

4.3.4 Teaching unfilled constructions-17

4.3.5 Tips for more advanced students: lexis, meaning and conceptualization-18

4.4 Conclusion-19

5. Combination of Vocabulary and Sentence Pattern Teaching-19

5.1Theory basis—image schema and usage-based linguistics-19

5.2 Specific methods in English teaching-20

6.-Conclusion-21

6.1 Advantages of Cognitive Linguistics-21

6.2 Inadequacy of Cognitive Linguistics-22

References-22