“Cognitive Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition: Towards an Integration of Language, Culture, and Cognition”

January, 21-23,  2011

The major purpose of the symposium is to explore both theoretical and applied issues in cognitive linguistics and related fields (such as cognitive anthropology, language and culture, and language acquisition and pedagogy), with particular reference to the Japanese language. The symposium is intended to further develop the diversity of cognitive linguistics in order to broaden its scope and work toward a synthesis.

The event will include the following topics, among others:

 “Cognitive linguistics and typology; cognitive grammar and construction grammar; embodiment and second language acquisition; metal space and conceptual blending; metaphor and metonymy; domain and frame semantics; categorization, prototypes, and polysemy; language, culture, and cognition; application of cognitive linguistics to second/foreign language pedagogy; cognition and translation”.

Papers that address issues related to the Japanese language are particularly welcome. We will also seek interdisciplinary papers, which are psycholinguistic, anthropological, and/or sociological in orientation and contribute to a new synthesis of cognitive linguistics and other approaches, or provide insights into new directions by integrating cognitive linguistics with other theories or paradigms (e.g. sociolinguistics, anthropology, sociology, history, politics, or neuroscience).

Plenary speakers

Dirk Geeraerts (University of Leuven, Belgium)

Seiichi Makino (Princeton University, USA)

John R. Taylor (former University of Otago, New Zealand)

Sponsors

The Japan Foundation

The Division of Humanities, the University of Otago

Department of Languages and Cultures, the University of Otago

And

Linguistics Programme, Department of English, the University of Otago

Organizers

Dr. Masataka Yamaguchi masa.yamaguchi@otago.ac.nz

and

Dennis Tay dennis.tay@gmail.com

Contributions and structure of the symposium

The symposium will be structured around individual presentations and discussions, and three plenary speakers’ lectures. The precise format will be decided once calls for papers have been received.

Cost:

NZ $50 for paper presenters

NZ $25 for students

NZ $10 for non-presenters

How to take part
To present a paper, please send in two versions of abstract written in English (a longer version within 500 words and a shorter one within 150 words), times new roman 12, double spaced, in outlining your paper and specifying your theoretical framework and empirical data sources (and pedagogical implications or teaching practice, if relevant). Please e-mail your abstract no later than October 15, 2010 to cognitive.otago@gmail.com