cognitive-science-and-grammatical-theory.pptx

cognitive science ppt

1. Cognitive Science and Grammatical Theory Discussant: Lyka Jane E. Ibanez

2. OVERVIEW 1 Cognitive science and grammatical theory are both fields that intersect in understanding human language and cognition but approach the subject from different perspectives.

3. Cognitive science is an interdisciplinary field that aims to understand the mind and its processes. It integrates findings from psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, computer science, philosophy, and anthropology. 2 What is Cognitive Science?

4. The Importance of Language in Cognitive Science Language is often considered a window into cognitive processes because it reflects how we think, reason, and perceive the world. Here are several reasons why language serves as a valuable tool for understanding cognitive processes : Structure and Grammar : The rules and structures of language (syntax, semantics, phonology) provide insights into how our brains organize information and form coherent thoughts. Vocabulary and Concepts : The richness and specificity of vocabulary in a language can indicate the depth of conceptual distinctions made by its speakers. For instance, languages with specialized terms for certain concepts (like snow in Eskimo languages) highlight what aspects of the world are salient and important to that culture. Neurological Basis : Language processing is supported by specific areas of the brain, such as Broca's area and Wernicke's area. Studying language deficits in these areas due to brain injuries or disorders can inform us about how these brain regions contribute to language production and comprehension. Metaphor and Thought : The metaphors and analogies embedded in language reveal underlying conceptual mappings. Language Development : Studying how children acquire language provides insights into the innate cognitive abilities and processes that underlie language learning. This includes understanding grammar, forming concepts, and making inferences. Cultural Variability : Different languages encode knowledge and cultural practices in distinct ways. This variability can shed light on how cognitive processes adapt to different cultural environments and shape our perceptions and thought patterns 3

5. Perception Second Problem Cognitive Processes: 4 Learning Second Problem Attention Second Problem Memory Second Problem Reasoning Second Problem

6. 1 2 3 5 L anguage and Cognition: Language processing: Understanding how language is comprehended and produced. Cognitive linguistics: Relationship between language and thought, including metaphor and conceptual frameworks. Neuroscience and Cognitive Science: Neurolinguistics : Brain mechanisms underlying language processing and disorders. Cognitive neuroscience: Neural correlates of cognitive functions. Models and Theories: Computational models: Simulations of cognitive processes, including language processing. Cognitive architectures: Frameworks for understanding cognitive systems.

7. Grammatical theory refers to a systematic framework that aims to describe and explain the structure, rules, and patterns governing language at various levels of analysis. It encompasses the principles and rules that underlie how words are combined into larger units (such as phrases and sentences) to convey meaning in a particular language. 6 What is Grammatical theory?

8. 7 The Importance of Language in Grammatical Theory Language plays a crucial role in grammatical theory for several reasons : Data Collection and Analysis : Grammatical theories rely on language as the primary data source. Linguists collect and analyze linguistic data to formulate and test hypotheses about the underlying principles governing language structure. Without language as the raw material, grammatical theories would have no empirical basis . Formulation of Rules : Grammatical theories aim to describe the rules and principles that govern how sentences are formed and interpreted in a language. These rules include syntactic structures, morphological rules, and semantic interpretations. Language provides the content on which these rules are based . Validation and Testing : Theories in linguistics are tested and validated against real-world language data. The accuracy and explanatory power of grammatical theories depend on how well they account for the diverse phenomena observed in actual languages. Language thus serves as the ultimate judge of the validity of these theories . Cross-Linguistic Comparison : Language diversity allows linguists to compare different languages and identify universal principles that may underlie human language. By examining similarities and differences across languages, grammatical theories can uncover general principles that apply universally or are specific to certain language families . Understanding Language Variation : Languages vary in their grammatical structures, which can range from highly synthetic to analytic. Grammatical theories help explain why these variations occur and how they are structured within a given language. Language provides the variability necessary for understanding these patterns . Pedagogical Importance : Grammatical theories inform language teaching and learning by providing frameworks for understanding how languages work. They help educators explain and teach the rules and structures of languages to learners, facilitating language acquisition and proficiency.

9. 8 Grammatical theory: 1. Fundamentals of Grammar: Syntax: Rules and principles governing sentence structure and word order in language. This includes syntactic categories (nouns, verbs, etc.) and phrase structure rules. Morphology: Study of the internal structure of words, including morphemes (smallest units of meaning) and processes like inflection (changes to word form) and derivation (word formation). 2. Semantics and Pragmatics: Semantics: Study of meaning in language, including how words and sentences convey meaning (lexical semantics) and how meaning is composed in sentences (compositional semantics). Pragmatics: Deals with the use of language in context, including social and situational factors that influence interpretation beyond literal meaning. 3. Language Universals and Typology: Universals: Patterns and principles common to all languages, such as the existence of nouns and verbs, syntactic structures like subject-verb-object order, and semantic distinctions like tense and aspect. Typology: Classification of languages based on their structural similarities and differences, often revealing cross-linguistic tendencies and variations. 4. Historical Linguistics: Language Change: Study of how languages evolve over time, including changes in grammar, vocabulary, and phonetics. Comparative Linguistics: Investigation of relationships between languages, reconstructing ancestral languages and understanding their historical development. 5. Applications of Grammatical Theory: Language Acquisition: How children acquire grammatical structures and rules as they learn their first language(s). Language Processing: Experimental and computational approaches to studying how grammatical knowledge is utilized in real-time language comprehension and production.

10. Noam Chomsky's theories have profoundly shaped multiple disciplines, including linguistics, cognitive science, and political philosophy. Here’s a deeper look at some of his key theories and their implications : 9 Noam Chomsky

11. 1. Transformational-Generative Grammar (TGG) : Chomsky’s TGG revolutionized linguistics by proposing that human languages are governed by a universal grammar (UG). This UG consists of innate principles shared by all languages, which are expressed through specific parameters that vary across languages. For example, while all languages have rules for forming questions, the specific word order and structure vary (e.g., subject-verb-object in English versus subject-object-verb in Japanese). 10

12. 2 . Universal Grammar (UG) : Universal Grammar refers to the innate linguistic abilities that humans are born with, according to Chomsky. This theory posits that all human languages share certain deep-seated similarities because they are constrained by UG principles. Children are able to learn any language they are exposed to because their brains are pre-wired with these universal rules . 3. Language Acquisition Device (LAD) : Chomsky proposed the Language Acquisition Device (LAD) as a hypothetical mental module that facilitates the rapid and effortless acquisition of language by children. The LAD allows children to infer the grammatical rules of their native language(s) based on the linguistic input they receive. 11

13. 4. Deep Structure and Surface Structure : Chomsky introduced the distinction between deep structure and surface structure to explain how sentences are generated in human language. Deep structure represents the underlying meaning or semantic content of a sentence, while surface structure refers to the actual grammatical form that is produced . 12

14. Here are some specific connections between cognitive science and grammatical theory: 1. Language Processing and Psycholinguistics: Connection: Cognitive science investigates how humans process language, focusing on mental processes like comprehension, production, and acquisition. Grammatical theory provides formal frameworks (e.g., generative grammar) to describe the structures and rules underlying language . 2. Language A cquisition: Connection : Cognitive science studies how individuals acquire language skills, examining cognitive mechanisms involved in learning grammar, vocabulary, and syntax. Grammatical theory offers models (e.g., Universal Grammar) that propose innate structures and constraints guiding language learning . 3. Cognitive Linguistics: Connection : Cognitive science and grammatical theory intersect in cognitive linguistics, which explores how language reflects and influences cognitive processes. It investigates phenomena like metaphor, conceptual frames, and cognitive biases in language use . 4. Neurolinguistics and Cognitive Neuroscience: Connection: Cognitive science and grammatical theory contribute to understanding the neural basis of language processing and production. Neurolinguistics examines how language is represented in the brain, while cognitive neuroscience investigates neural mechanisms underlying cognitive functions . 5. Language Disorders: Connection: Cognitive science and grammatical theory collaborate in studying language impairments such as aphasia, dyslexia, and specific language impairment. These disorders provide insights into the relationship between language processing deficits and underlying cognitive functions. 13

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