Cognitive analysis of discourse 15-KAD-JIK-11

Metaphor is an important cognitive skill that facilitates drawing analogies and making connections between ideas. In this course we explore not only metaphor, but also other cognitive phenomena, such as frames, image schemata, mental spaces and metonymy. We are going to ask if they are important for discourse and, if so, how they are used to construct meaning.

Discourse analysis is based on the assumption that context is fundamental for our understanding of text. The social context (such as education or politics), the thing accomplished by the text (e.g., legislation, teaching), the participants and their various communicative, social and professional roles, the relations between them, the setting (time, location) and other social or interactional properties of the communicative event are all relevant to understanding the discourse behind it.

Similarly, the thoughts, aims, knowledge and personal beliefs of the participants influence discourse. They form the so-called cognitive context. We cannot begin to understand why people write and speak the way they do without taking the cognitive context into account.

Cognitive analysis of discourse focuses on the processes already identified by cognitive linguistics and applies that knowledge to discourse analysis. During this class we will learn about cognitive processes and phenomena and apply this knowledge in practice. We will analyse speeches, articles and books as well as conversations and debates in the framework of cognitive discourse analysis.

Module learning aims

C1 acquiring knowledge of cognitive linguistics and its applications to discourse analysis C2 developing crtitical text analysis skills C3 learning how to apply language and discourse analysis methods C4 learning to present opinion and constructively critique others' presentations C5 developing group work and communication skills C6 learning how to write short texts structured by metaphor C7 developing the skills necessary to write analyses of metaphors in media and political texts

Information on where to find course materials

(in Polish) Materiały dostępne są w Bibliotece Novum oraz na platformie Moodle

Major

English philology Specialisation: Language and communication in media and politics (Lancom)

Methods of teaching for learning outcomes achievement

critical analysis of scientific text, student presentations, discussions, analysis of chosen linguistic examples

Student workload (ECTS credits)

3 ECTS 30 h classes 30 h preparation for classes 30 h reading assigned texts

Cycle of studies

2nd cycle

Module type

compulsory

Year of studies (where relevant)

Year 2

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences

Familiarity with basic notions in critical discourse analysis

Course coordinators

Anna Jelec

Assessment criteria

Assessment methods:
(P): Written analysis of a given text, (F): graded presentations, paricipation in class, preparation for class, debates, discussions

Assessment criteria:

5.0 – excellent knowledge, skills and competencies in the subject

4.5 – very good knowledge, skills and competencies in the subject

4.0 – good knowledge, skills and competencies in the subject

3.5 – sufficient knowledge, skills and competencies in the subject, but with significant gaps

3.0 – sufficient knowledge, skills and competencies in the subject, but with multiple gaps and mistakes

2.0 – insufficient knowledge, skills and competencies in the subject

Bibliography

Charteris-Black, Jonathan. 2004. Corpus Approaches to Critical Metaphor Analysis. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Dancygier, B., & Sweetser, E. 2014. Figurative language. Cambridge University Press.
Fabiszak, Małgorzata. 2007. A Conceptual Metaphor approach to war discourse and its implications. Poznań: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Adama Mickiewicza.
Forceville, Charles. 2004. “The identification of target and source in pictorial metaphors”, Journal of Pragmatics 34/1: 1-14.
Goatly, Andrew. 2007. Washing the brain. Metaphor and hidden ideology. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Hart, Christopher. 2010. Critical Discourse Analysis and Cognitive Science. New perspectives on immigration discourse. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Kövecses, Zoltán. 2002. Metaphor. A practical introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Lakoff, George. 1996. Moral Politics. How Liberals and Conservatives think. Chicago: Chicago University Press.
Lakoff, George and Paul Chilton. 1989. “Foreign policy by metaphor”, CRL Newsletter 3/5: 5-19.
Musolff, Andreas. 2004. Metaphor and political discourse. Analogical reasoning in debates about Europe. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Nerlich, Brigitte – Craig A. Hamilton – Victoria Rowe. 2002. “Conceptualising Foot and Mouth Disease: The socio-cultural role of metaphors, frames and narratives”, metaphorik.de 02.

Additional information

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 15-KAD-JIK-11 in USOSweb