Abstract:The paper addresses the much-debated question of the relationship between language and cognition as reflected in the particular domain of space. It shows, first of all, that spatial expressions vary greatly across languages along a ‘continuum’ with satellite-framing and verb-framing languages at its two ends. Further, it reveals that in the fields of L1 and L2 acquisition, language-specific factors have a larger role to play as compared to cognitive universals, thus challenging the ‘Piagetian’ tradition. At the level of mental conceptualization beyond language use, the paper focuses on one key question, viz., are language differences merely superficial realizations of a common spatial framework, or a given language restricts a particular thought pattern? The striking divergences of research findings regarding this question have been analyzed in detail and directions for future research are suggested in a cross-disciplinary framework.
纪瑛琳. 国外语言、认知与空间研究发展述评[J]. 《深圳大学学报》(人文社科版), 2016, 33(5): 140-147.
JI Ying-lin. A review of research on language, space and cognition. , 2016, 33(5): 140-147.
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