Tunisian republic
The Association for the
Protection of the Arabic
Language of Tunis
Ministry of Higher Education and
Scientific Research
*****
University of Carthage
Higher Institute of Languages of Nabeul
IN HONOR OF PROFESSOR MOHAMED SLAH EDDINE ECHERIF
The Higher Institute of Languages
of Nabeul
With the contribution of
The Association for the Protection
of the Arabic Language
Organize
A SYMPOSIUM:
Language as a Cognitive
SYSTEM
29, 30 November 2017
Identifying language as a cognitive system means that it is inherent in the mind, operates
according to precise principles and computations, and interacts with external cognitive systems to pass
from the unconscious linguistic knowledge to performance. A number of linguistic approaches actually
adopt this thesis. Yet, the guiding principles of this system do vary depending on the approaches
adopted. These principles may incorporate the purely linguistic unique to the computational system
and the general cognitive ones shared by biological systems in general. They may also be general
cognitive principles that apply to different cognitive faculties.
The major thesis produced two streams in linguistics. The first one is the Generative Grammar
in its minimalist model that assumes the existence of a unique and innate language faculty monitored
by a language organ specific to it in the mind/human brain. It consists of a computational system that
stores informations about sound and meaning and interacts with external cognitive systems that receive
and evaluate those informations. The second stream is Cognitive Linguistics. It adopts an extended
cognitive view which assumes that language is a cognitive faculty that should be studied within an
extended cognitive sphere, including environmental, cultural and physical elements. Besides, it
assumes that our knowledge of the various linguistic aspects is primarily conceptual; therefore, there is
no room to address the meaning outside the conceptual and mental spaces.
In this general cognitive framework, the theory of the Grammatical Generation of the Universe
suggested an approach emphasizing the fact that language is a manifestation of biological evolution.
This evolution is the result of the nervous system’s processing of information, which humans instill in
a collective way that goes beyond individuality. Hence, language is assumed to be "a substitute of
what makes the human being an eternal organic brain". Language is, thus, based, in its dynamicity and
functioning, on a set of principles that represent the supreme essence of the human reason movement
in history.
Our main concern at this symposium is to raise the issue of language cognition from a
standpoint that combines different linguistic approaches aiming at a deeper understanding of language
by discussing various theories.
It is within this frame of mind that while preparing our symposium we recalled the merit of
Professor Mohamed Slah Eddine Echerif who, in collaboration with emeritus scholars, established the
foundations of linguistics in the Tunisian University. Thus, following the tradition of the Tunisian
University that has always celebrated its pioneers and honored its eminent scholars in commemoration
for their ideas and recognition of their efforts, the Higher Institute of Languages in Nabeul and the
Association for the Protection of the Arabic Language in Tunis dedicate the work of this symposium to
Professor Echerif.
Themes
1. In language acquisition: cognitive approaches
-
Innateness of language faculty
-
Language Faculty and the embodied cognition
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Role of usage in language acquisition
2. Modular approaches to language
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The generative models from internal modularity to external modularity
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External modularity and interfaces
3. Language universals and cross-linguistic variation (Empirical studies)
-Universal Grammar: Universals and parameters
- Universals and variation: interaction between genetic
endowment, experience and external cognitive systems
-the cross-linguistic variation as an encoding of various conceptual systems
4. Cognitive aspects of the language system functioning (Empirical studies)
-
The architecture of Language Faculty
-
Grammatical computations
-
Interactions between the language cognitive system and external cognitive systems
Conditions of Participation
- Papers from diverse disciplines should fall within the problematic of the symposium and deal with
one of the themes proposed.
- articles should not have been offered for presentation or for publication previously or concurrently
elsewhere.
- All articles are subject to refereeing. Consequently, authors should introduce the changes or
revisions signalled by the Scientific Committee and meet the deadline for submissions.
- Times New Roman (papers in English and French) and Simplified Arabic (papers in Arabic).
- Text size12 for the main text and 10 for the block quotes, and the footnotes in papers written in
English and French and 14 for the main text and 12 for the block quotes, and the footnotes in papers
written in Arabic.
- Conference Languages: Arabic, French and English.
- Authors whose proposals are finally accepted will receive an official invitation for participation in
the conference.
- Abstracts and manuscripts of articles should be sent to one of the following:
[email protected]
[email protected]
- For further information: 98814039
Deadlines
- Deadline for abstract submission: 15-08-2017
- Notification of acceptance: 22-08-2017
- Full paper submission: 01-11-2017
- The conference proceedings will be published later.
Participation Form
Name and surname: ...........................................................................................................................
degree and speciality: ........................................................................................................................
Institution: ........................................................................................................................................
Phone and Email: ..............................................................................................................................
Presentation title: ...............................................................................................................................
Axis of research ...............................................................................................................................
Abstract (400 words): …………………………………………………………………………………….
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