Semantics and Cognition - 2nd semester
Code
711131065
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Linguística
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
Helena Topa Valentim
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
a) To characterize the activity of language accordingly to different models and theoretical proposals based on a cognitive perspective;
b) To acquire the analysis tools that allow, through the observation of linguistic forms, to identify and to describe the language functioning;
c) To develop the knowledge about the languages functioning, considering the relation between linguistic markers and the values that result from cognitive abstract operations;
d) To manage appropriately the metalinguistic mechanisms that lead to an understanding of the linguistic constructions as the result of a complex relationship involving the linguistic markers of cognitive operations;
e) To analyze the functioning of the natural languages accordingly to the description of its different grammatical categories.
Prerequisites
None.
Subject matter
1. Language Activity as cognitive activity
1.1 Brain and Language
1.2 Cognitive models for the natural languages analysis: cultural paradigms (Lakoff 1987) spatial paradigms (Talmy 1983)
2. Linguistic activity: representation, referential and inter-subjective adjustment
2.1 Notional occurrences, linguistic occurrences and enunciative coordinates
3. Determination of the utterance
3.1 Predicative expressions and referential expressions
3.2 Grammatical categories
3.2.1 Time-aspect
3.2.2 Modality
Bibliography
CORREIA, C. N., Estudos de Determinação: a operação de quantificação/qualificação em sintagmas nominais, Lisboa, FCG/FCT, 2002
FUCHS, C. & S. ROBERT (eds.), Diversité des Langues et Représentations Cognitives, Paris, phrys, 1997
LAKOFF, G., Women, fire and dangerous things, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press, 1987
TALMY, L., How Language structures space, in H. PICK & L. ACREDOLO (eds.), Spatial orientation: theory, research and application, New YorK, Plenum, 1983
VALENTIM, H. T. Um estudo semântico-enunciativo de predicados subjectivos do português. Dissertação de Doutoramento em Linguística, especialidade em Semântica. Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas Universidade Nova de Lisboa (não publicada).
Teaching method
This UC is both theoretical and practical. Thus, from an initial schedule, we develop a balanced distribution and combination between theoretical (expository) lectures and practical lectures (with exercises, made and corrected in class).
Evaluation method
The evaluation focuses on the work done by students throughout the semester. It comprises:
a) two written tests on the different programmatic modules, each worth 40% of the total evaluation;
b) autonomous work (to be presented in class), with the weight of 20% of the assessment.
All the relevant information regarding the different aspects of the methodology is transmitted and made available to the student from the beginning of the semester