Applied Cognitive Linguistics
This course aims to familiarise students with the principal tenets of the school of thought known as
Cognitive Linguistics (CL), and how these have been applied to the field of (instructed) second
language acquisition.
CL started in the 1980s as a reaction to generative, Chomskyan, accounts of language. Its advocates
emphasise the usage-based nature of language acquisition, the importance of phraseology for
exemplar-based learning, and the idea that language is far less arbitrary than has long been assumed.
Especially the latter idea has been the impetus for a growing number of quasi-experimental studies
conducted since the late 1990s to assess the merits of CL-influenced language pedagogy.
We will evaluate and ‘frame’ the empirical evidence in favour of applying CL insights to language
learning and teaching, and identify avenues for further research.
NOTE: LALS 517 Applied Cognitive Linguistics will be available by distance (CRN
10626) as well as on campus (CRN 10587).
The course will be taught by Frank Boers, daily from Monday November 8 to Friday
November 19 2010. The on campus class is scheduled for 4pm – 6pm, Monday –
Friday.