A Cognitive Interpretation Of Linguistic Meme

Vocabulary, as the most dynamic element of language, is deeply influenced by external social environmental factors. Besides, it is also influenced by the internal cognitive ability of language users. In recent years, Chinese new words spring up, not only in a single word form, but also in the form of groups of words, which share the same structure. Moreover, the same part has the same meaning as well. The forming of the replicated structure and the fixed meaning has certain cognitive mechanisms involved.Language itself is a kind of meme, which can be imitated and replicated from mind to mind. In terms of memetis, these groups of words are taken as the relatively strong memes, since they are very productive in forming new words in the contemporary times. The strong memes earn vitality through constant selection, replication and transmission. The life cycle of meme consists of four steps: assimilation, retention, expression and transmission. Success of each step of the life cycle is deeply related to human cognition.This thesis is aiming at seeking the cognitive rationales for linguistic meme. “xxQ” is taken as an example to do the present research. A lot of cognitive linguistic theories are used to answer the following research questions: 1) What kind of cognitive mechanisms are “xxQ” linguistic meme involved in forming such a kind of structure and meaning? 2) How is each step of the life cycle of “xxQ” linguistic meme related to human cognition?Research Findings indicate: 1) The structure of "xxQ" linguistic meme mainly results from cognitive metonymy. The forming of the fixed meaning of “Q” in “xxQ” linguistic meme is due to cognitive metaphor. Both cognitive metonymy and metaphor are related to conceptualization of human cognition. 2) In the assimilation of "xxQ" linguistic meme, three fundamental views of cognitive linguistics, prominence view, attentional view and experiential view are all reflected in the cognitive process. The retention of “xxQ” linguistic meme is because words sharingthis construction are not single ones. They are in a certain category. The new formed ones have relationships with the basic-level category members. In this way, they can be memorized easily. The expression of “xxQ” linguistic meme is mainly influenced by human experience, since language is embodied. Besides, the former formed basic–level category words are taken as the reference point. By using the “xxQ” construction, new words come into being. The transmission of “xxQ” linguistic meme is an endless circle from host to host. Transmission is the last step, as well as a new starting point of the life cycle, which is a souse-path-goal image schema in terms of cognitive linguistics.