ENGE3630 Language, Cognition, and Education

Course Outline
1. Course overview
This course presents insights from cognitive linguistics (CL) with respect to grammar and
their potential relevance to second and foreign language learning and teaching. Cognitive
linguists understand the language that we encounter every day as input from which we draw
inferences about form-meaning relationships, typical patterns, and schemata. The course
addresses core concepts in this area of study including: prototype, categorization, image
schema, figure and ground, metaphor, metonymy, embodied cognition, and polysemy.
The course discusses how cognitive linguists design pedagogical methods and stimulate
learners to explore the deeper meanings of grammatical forms.
The course consists of two modules: Module I introduces the basic assumptions and key
theoretical concepts in cognitive linguistics, equipping students with the knowledge and
lexicon to engage in scholarly discussion in the discipline; Module II introduces issues
related to universality and language typology from a cognitive semantics perspective. We
will explore how speakers of different languages perceive basic concepts such as time,
space, and motion, and how these perceptions shape their languages. Meanwhile, we will
also discuss how cognitive linguistics has been applied in second language teaching and
learning.
2. Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, a successful student should be able to:
Demonstrate an understanding of the main theoretical assumptions, objectives,
theories and methodologies employed in cognitive linguistics.
Implement their knowledge of cognitive approaches to language in the analysis of
natural language data.
Demonstrate an ability to critically evaluate cognitive theories against one another,
and against formal approaches
develop knowledge about the pedagogical methods that cognitive linguists propose
and apply to grammar learning
3. Required textbooks
Evans, V. & Green, M. (2006). Cognitive linguistics: An introduction. Edinburgh:
Edinburgh University Press. [Electronic book available for download at the BBoard]
Other required readings will be made available on the Course Blackboard.
4. Assessment scheme
Task nature
Attendance and participation
Tutorial presentation
Term paper
Final exam

Weight
10%
15%
40%
35%
1

a. Attendance and participation (10% of the total course grade)

Students are expected to attend class and tutorials and participate in the learning activities
conducted in lectures and tutorials.
b. Tutorial presentation (15% of the total course grade)
Students find a partner in the tutorial and give a pair presentation during tutorial. The
instructor announces two prompt questions at least one week ahead. Students choose one
question and prepare for a 15-minute presentation. At the end of the presentation,
students prepare one or two discussion questions for further discussion among peers (5
minutes). The presentations are graded by the tutor (70%) and peers (30%).
c. Reflection paper (40% of the total course grade)
The term paper of this course is a 6-8 pages reflection paper. In this paper, students
describe how cognitive linguistics allows them to generate new understandings about the
English language or any other language(s) that they use.
Students select one of the core concepts that are introduced in the course (such as
conceptual metaphor) and explain how this concept allows them to come to a new
understanding of language or human cognition. Students should start with describing indepth the nature of the concept, and how it relates to language and human cognition in
general. It is required for you to research the primary literature on your topic, seeing how
cognitive linguists in the field have proposed to account for the concept.
What follows is that students need to identify linguistic examples to illustrate your
exposition of the concept. Use examples selected from the textbook, and if possible, from
language materials of daily exposure (oral language, written language such as newspaper,
documents, street signs, etc.). Reflection involving languages other than English (e.g.,
Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, etc.) requires a higher level of critical thinking
skills and hence is highly encouraged. Provide English translation when necessary.
Students may use the following questions to guide your brainstorming process:
(a) What are the concepts that are entirely new to me? Which concept fascinates me
most? Why does it fascinate me most? How the CL accounts of the concept are
different from (or better than) traditional grammar or semantic accounts?
(b) Is the concept uniquely applicable in only one language such as English? Can the
concept be used to explain phenomena in other languages? If yes, can I think about
examples from the languages that I know of?
(c) How does the concept advance my knowledge about language and human cognition?
(a) How can the concept be possibly adopted by L2 teachers to better second language
teaching and learning?
Some generalities of the reflection paper are listed as follows:
Length: 6 to 8 pages (excluding references)
Format: Double-spaced with words typed, four side margins 2.54cm
Font: Size 12, Times or Times New Roman
d. Final exam (35% of the total course grade)
Students are expected to demonstrate knowledge of the major information introduced in
lectures. The test is composed of fill-in-blanks, multiple-choice questions, and shortanswer essay questions.
2

5. Lectures: Weekly schedule

Week
Topic
Week 1
Introduction and course organization
Sep-9
Language and cognition: An introduction

Reading
Evans & Green, Ch.1, pp. 5-22

Week 2
Sep-16

What is cognitive linguistics:

assumptions and commitments

Evans & Green, Ch.2, pp. 27-50

Week 3
Sep-23
Week 4
Sep-30
Week 5
Oct-7
Week 6
Oct-14
Week 7
Oct-21
Week 8
Oct-28
Week 9
Nov-4
Week 10
Nov-11

Cognitive Semantics

Evans & Green, Ch.5, pp.156-173

Embodiment

Evans & Green, Ch.6, pp. 176-201

Categorization

Evans & Green, Ch.8, pp. 248-269

Metaphor

Evans & Green, Ch.9, pp. 286-307

No Class. Chung Yeung Festival.

Metonymy

Evans & Green, Ch.9, pp. 310-322

Polysemy

Evans & Green, Ch.10, pp. 328-356

Language, culture, and cognition: An

introduction

Dirven & Verspoor, Ch. 6, pp. 127148

Week 11
Nov-18

Language, culture, and conceptions of

time

Boroditsky (2001)

Week 12
Nov-25

Language, culture, and conceptions of

space and motion

Slobin (2004)

Week 13
Dec-2

Cognitive linguistics and second

language instruction

Tyler (2008)

6. Tutorials: Weekly Schedule

Week
Topic
Week 4
CL: Assumptions and commitments
Cognitive semantics
Week 6

Embodiment
Categorization

Week 9

Metaphor
Metonymy

Week 11

Polysemy
Language, culture, and meaning

Week 13

Language, culture, and conceptions of time

Language, culture, and conceptions of space and motion

7. Contact details for teacher(s) or TA(s)

Professor/Lecturer/Instructor:
Name:
Office Location:
Telephone:
Email:

Professor Helen Zhao

Fung King Hey Building 312
3943-5719
helenz@cuhk.edu.hk

Teaching Assistants
Names:
Office Location:
Email:

Ivy Wong
Fung King Hey 3rd floor
iwong0515@gmail.com

8. Additional recommended readings

Cognitive Linguistics: Theoretical Readings
Croft, W., & Cruse, D. A. (2004). Cognitive linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
Evans, V., & Green, M. (2006). Cognitive linguistics: An introduction. Edinburgh: Edinburgh
University Press.
Geeraerts, D., & Cuyckens, H. (2007). The oxford handbook of cognitive linguistics. Oxford;
New York: OUP.
Lee, D. (2002). Cognitive linguistics: An introduction. New York: Oxford University Press.
Cognitive Linguistics: Applied Readings
Archard, M. & Niemeier, S. (2004). Cognitive linguistics, second language acquisition, and
foreign language teaching. Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
Boers, F. & Lindstromberg, S. (Eds.) (2008). Applications of cognitive linguistics 6: Cognitive
linguistic approaches to teaching vocabulary and phraseology. Berlin/New York:
Mouton de Gruyter.
Eugene H. C. & Palmer, G. B. (2003). Cognitive linguistics and non-Indo-European languages.
Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
Evans, V. & Chilton, P. (2010). Language, cognition, and space. London/Oakville: Equinox
Publishing.
Evans, V. & Pourcel, S. (2009) (Eds.). New directions in cognitive linguistics. Amsterdam /
Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Holme, R. (2009). Cognitive linguistics and language teaching. UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
De Knop, S. & Rycker, T. D. (2008). Applications of cognitive linguistics 9: Cognitive
approaches to pedagogical grammar. Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
4

Littlemore, J. (2009). Applying cognitive linguistics to second language learning and teaching.
UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
Littlemore, J. & Juchem-Grundmann, C. (2010). Applied cognitive linguistics in second language
learning and teaching. AILA Review, Volume 23. Amsterdam/Philadephia: John
Benjamins.
Littlemore, J. & Low, G. (2006). Figurative thinking and foreign language learning. NY:
Palgrave Macmillan.
Ptz, M., Niemeier, S., & Dirven, R. (2001). Applied cognitive linguistics I: Theory and
language acquisition. Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
Ptz, M., Niemeier, S., & Dirven, R. (2001). Applied cognitive linguistics II: Language
pedagogy. Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
Robinson, P. & Ellis, N. C. (2008). Handbook of cognitive linguistics and second language
acquisition. New York: Routledge.
Sharifian, F. & Palmer, G. B. (2007). Applied cultural linguistics: Implications for second
language learning and intercultural communication. Amsterdam; Philadelphia: John
Benjamins.
Tyler, A. (2012) Cognitive linguistics and second language learning: Theoretical basics and
experimental evidence. Routledge.
Tyler, A., Kim, Y., & Takada, M. (2008). Language in the context of use: Discourse and
cognitive approaches to language. Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter.

Metaphor and Metonymy

Barcelona, A. (2003). Metaphor and metonymy at the crossroads: A cognitive perspective.
Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
Holme, R. (2004). Mind, metaphor and language teaching. NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
Johnson, M. (1987). The body in the mind: The bodily basis of meaning. Chicago: University of
Chicago Press.
Kvecses, Z. (2002). Metaphor: A practical introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Lakoff, G. & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors we live by. Chicago and London: University of
Chicago Press.
Lakoff, G. & Turner, M. (1989). More than cool reason: A field guide to poetic metaphor.
Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Yu, N. (2009). From body to meaning in culture. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins.