Towards A Cognitive Model Of Discreteness-continuity Schematic Representation Of Language

This dissertation aims to combine the schema theory with the categorization theory forthe construction of linguistic discreteness-continuity schematic representation model whichpervasively exists in the multi-dimension of language. The previous grammar study eitherdeposits in the formal rules with the linguistic formal manipulations as its orientation orsingly focuses on the mental space of the interlocutors, which expounds the mentalinformation processing in an abstract way. Neither of them adequately devotes to diggingout the motivations underlying the formal language rules. This research explores thediscreteness-continuity phenomena in the multi-dimension of language, the construal ofmotivations of continous and dynamic changes in the language. Finally, it manages toconstruct the discreteness-continuity linguistic schematic cognitive model which isoperable at all levels of language.The greatest advantages of the schema theory in linguistic research lie in the fact thatlinguistic schema can be an effective way to interpret all the discreteness and continuitylinguistic phenomena in language. Schema is the active organization of the pastexperiences. The repeating responses help to form schema, they are the interactivecognitive structures which possess the properties of repeating, activatability, hierarchy,net-work formation, dynamic updating quality and the cline of abstractness. The effectiveinterpretation of linguistic form-meaning relations depends on the predicting, inferring,selecting, planned accessing, and memory-reorganization functions of schemata.Category is a conceptual unit which represents a series of similar embodimentexperiences that is meaningful and closely relevant to our life. Cognitive liguisticsmaintains that language development concerns our cognitive process of perceiving thephysical world. The first step to process information is to classify them into differentcategories, and then language is needed to represent them. Categorization is the cognitiveprocess for establishing linguistic categories. Some members of a category are moretypical than others. Therefore a category is a continuum ranging from prototype toperiphery. Different ranging scales of a linguistic category correspond to different situationin reality. It is evident that learning a new language provides us a new approach tocategorize things in the world. A category is an organic part of a conceptual group. Thisconceptual group forms conceptual hierarchy relation, part-whole relation, frame andcognitive domain. Metaphor and metonymy are cognitive complementary ways of thinking,which offers the possibility for the extension of linguistic categories. All the above-mentioned notions are the guiding principles for constructing linguisticdiscreteness-continuity schematic models.This research is hypothesized as follows:·The model is constructed out of the following cognitive operation mechanism whichincludes construal(viewing frame, information specificity, perspective,subjectivity-objectivity scale,mental scanning of the situation and prominence), mentalspace building for interlocutors and inference. In language research, discretness andcontinuity are complemntary to each other which form the whole picture of language.·The model is presented in all dimensions of language, which stimulates the languagelearner to perceive language and uncover its mysteries with a dialectical, objective attitude.All the regularities and irregularities in the language can not be clarified within thelanguage system itself. The consideration of physical world, and human cognition shouldbe given to the exploration of the source of cognitive mechanism.·The grammar of a language is usage-based in that it provides speakers with a variety ofstructures to present their view of given scene. In language teaching, both the discretenessand continuity of linguistic schema needs to be accounted for. The special attention shouldgo to the periphery members of a category and decategorization phenomena, for the reasonthat the great amount of treasure are buried under them. They possess high quality ofmarkedness.The major findings are stated in the following four aspects:·Firstly, the linguistic discreteness-contiuity schematic model is constructed. This model isvery instructive for language teaching and learning. This model perfects the previoustendency of concentration on theory and the negligence of practice. The linguistic schemais established at all language levels which disclose the motivations of language.·Secondly, the research is concerned with the cultivation of the language learners’awareness of linguistic discreteness-continuity schema. Lack of cognition of this modelwill gives rise to the low efficiency in foreign language teaching and learning. Without thismodel, the interpretation of large number of irregular linguistic phenomena will be built onloose ground.·Thirdly, the establishment of dynamic continuum of linguistic category is made.Language learners can take this continuum as its reference point to understand and analyzedifferent language regular and irregular phenomena. This is the source of motivation forlanguage understanding and production. ·Fourthly, this research clarifies the internal relationship between the members in alinguistic category and the different categories in different language dimensions. Thisresearch centralizes on the nouns which represent things and the verbs which stand forrelations. Around the noun category, the continuum of reference, quantification andqualification is divided, while surrounding the verb, another continuum of temporalatemporal, aspect, tense, and modality is stratified. The interaction between nouncontinuum and verb continuum formulate the model of linguistic discreteness-continuityschema representation.In terms of research methodology, the documentary research method is applied to sortout the abstract literature study achievements in linguistic schema study and formsystematic reflections on the problem. The case study method helps to explore theproblems occur in language learners’ learning process and their motivations. TheConvergent Validation Method is employed to analyze different kinds of linguisticinformation. By using an introspective method, the author retrospects his own languagelearning experiences and refers to those of others’ which greatly facilitate the constructionof the model.It can be seen that construal is the indispensable part of languge processing. Languagehelps to construct mental space and information relevance between the interlocutors. Onone hand, we need to know how conceptual categories correspond to linguistic categories;on the other hand, the continuity of linguistic categories is also under consideration. Onlyin this way can we interpret language in our model. The grammar of a language representsthe whole of the native speaker’s knowledge of lexical categories and the grammaticalstructures of his language. Reality, cognition and language are closely interwoven witheach other, the interpretation of any element relies on the support of the other two.