COURSE OUTLINE
Department of English
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
ENGE 3630 Language, Cognition, and Education
Professor Helen Zhao
Room 312, Fung King Hey Building
Tel: 3943 5719
E-mail: [email protected]
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 how the
key concepts introduced in the first module can be applied to explain linguistic phenomena
in the English language and how such CL-based accounts are different from the traditional
grammar or semantic analyses. 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.
Other required readings will be made available on the Course Blackboard.
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4. Assessment scheme
Task nature
Attendance and participation
Pair teaching
Term paper
Final exam
Weight
10%
15%
40%
35%
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. Pair teaching (15% of the total course grade)
Conducted in the second half of the tutorials (see Tutorial weekly schedule), this is a 20minute lesson that teaches a specific structure in the English language or figurative
languages in English literature. Students must make use of cognitive linguistics concepts
or methods introduced in lectures to design their own lesson plans. Pair teachings are
graded by tutors (70%) and peers (30%) following a grading rubric.
c. Term paper (40% of the total course grade)
Students write a 6-8 pages essay as the term paper. Students select one of the core
concepts that are introduced in the course (such as image schema) and apply this concept
to explain linguistic phenomena in the real world.
Students should start with describing in-depth 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. Students should aim at enhancing
the essay by demonstrating your own understanding and critical thinking on the issue,
discussing, for example, how the CL accounts of the linguistic phenomena are different
from (or better than) traditional grammar or semantic accounts, or how the concept can
be adopted by L2 teachers to better second language teaching and learning as a whole or
in the Asia Pacific educational contexts.
The instructor will provide detailed guidance for the essay as well as additional materials
including sample topics and a grading rubric.
Some generalities of the research 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.
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5. Lectures: Weekly schedule
Week
Topic
Week 1
Introduction and course organization
What is cognitive linguistics:
assumptions and commitments
Module I
CL core concepts
Week 2
Cognitive Semantics
Reading
Evans & Green, Ch.1, pp.5-22
Evans & Green, Ch.2, pp.27-50
Evans & Green, Ch.5, pp.156-173
Week 3
Embodiment
Evans & Green, Ch.6, pp.176-201
Week 4
Categorization
Evans & Green, Ch.8, pp.248-269
Week 5
Metaphor and metonymy
Evans & Green, Ch.9, pp.286-322
Week 6
Polysemy
Evans & Green, Ch.10, pp.328-356
Week 7
Cognition, culture and language
Cadierno (2008)
Module II
Application of CL concepts
Week 8
English preposition and particle learning
Tyler, Mueller & Ho (2011b)
Week 9
English modal verb learning
Tyler, Mueller & Ho (2011a)
Week 10
English vocabulary learning
Berendi, Csabi & Kövecses (2008)
Week 11
English idiom learning
Skoufaki (2008)
Week 12
English poems and metaphors
Lakoff & Turner (1989)
Week 13
Review
6. Tutorials: Weekly Schedule
Week
Topic
Week 4
Cognitive semantics
Embodiment
Week 6
Categorization
Metaphor and metonymy
Week 8
Polysemy
Cognition, culture and language
Week 9
English preposition and particle learning
Week 10
English modal verb learning
Week 11
English vocabulary learning
Week 12
English idiom learning
Week 13
English poems and metaphors
Review
Review
Review
Pair teaching begins.
Pair teaching
Pair teaching
Pair teaching
Pair teaching
Note: The tutorials, which are held every two weeks from Week 4 to Week 8, are for review of
previous lessons. Students will be given two or three questions one week ahead to prepare for
tutorial discussion. Students are expected to bring their own hand-written or typed notes and
actively contribute to discussions during the tutorials.
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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
[email protected]
Teaching Assistants
Names:
Office Location:
Email:
Ivy Wong
Fung King Hey 3rd floor
[email protected]
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. & 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.
Littlemore, J. (2009). Applying cognitive linguistics to second language learning and teaching.
UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
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Littlemore, J. & Juchem-Grundmann, C. (2010). Applied cognitive linguistics in second language
learning and teaching. AILA Review, Volume 23. Amsterdam/Philadephia: John
Benjamins.
Pütz, M., Niemeier, S., & Dirven, R. (2001). Applied cognitive linguistics I: Theory and
language acquisition. Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
Pütz, 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.
Kövecses, 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.
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