Cultural Conceptualisations and Language

“This book develops an exciting and highly innovative theoretical model that is long overdue. By drawing on what are cutting-edge theoretical concepts in several disciplines, including cognitive linguistics, it builds a model that successfully melds together various complementary approaches such as “language as a complex adaptive system” (LCAS), distributed cognition, and multi-agent systems theory. The result is a framework that has significant implications for those working in a multitude of theoretical and applied domains such as cognitive linguistics, cognitive psychology, cognitive anthropology, anthropological linguistics, intercultural communication, intercultural pragmatics, and political discourse analysis. The manuscript is a pioneering work in many senses. It sets forth a valuable new research initiative which draws on a highly nuanced multi-disciplinarily informed approach that, in turn, is particularly sensitive to the role of culture in linguistic choices and perceptions. I highly recommend the book and believe that it is an excellent way to initiate the series “Cognitive Linguistic Studies in Cultural Contexts”, for it clearly “demonstrates how language as a subsystem of culture transformatively interacts with cognition and how cognition at a cultural level is manifested in language”, as indicated in the description of the book series.”

“By drawing on and expanding the theoretical advancements and analytical tools of a number of disciplines and research paradigms, including cognitive linguistics, cognitive anthropology, anthropological linguistics, distributed cognition, complexity science, cognitive psychology, and cognitive anthropology, Sharifian lays solid theoretical and analytical grounds for what can be recognised as Cultural Linguistics. Sharifian successfully navigates the reader through a multiplicity of premises, findings and models of numerous fields of research and analytical paradigms. These are used as the foundation on which his coherent multidisciplinary approach builds, utilizing the apparatus of cognitive linguistics in the study of core areas of/in human communication.”

“This monograph presents a new theoretical framework for the explanation and study of cultural conceptualisations and their intimate relationship with language, and discusses its applications. […] In developing and illustrating his framework, the author also draws upon disciplines ranging from anthropological linguistics through to complexity science and cognitive psychology, opening some intriguing perspectives and implications for the study of linguistic and pragmatic phenomena within and across cultures [...] Sharifian’s approach is impressive as it is innovative, both in terms of weaving together cutting edge concepts from diverse but complementary disciplines and its relevance to areas as wide-ranging as Cross Cultural Pragmatics, Anthropological Linguistics and Cognitive Psychology.[…] This is an accomplished work that draws upon several exciting and dynamic disciplines to present new perspectives on the intersection between culture, cognition and language, with wide-ranging implications.”

“The volume under discussion brings together a stimulating collection of articles and book chapters Farzad Sharifian has produced over a period of about eleven years. This is already a contribution on its own as it offers the readers a fully developed theoretical background on cultural conceptualisations, cultural cognition and language, and its application on areas such as intercultural communication, cross-cultural pragmatics, English as an international language, and World Englishes.[...] In this monograph Farzad Sharifian has developed a theoretical model of cultural conceptualisations and language which constitutes an advancement in this emerging area of Cultural Linguistics. [...]He starts from the premise that cultural cognition is transmitted through language and is instantiated in the content and use of language; it is reflected in categories, schemas and metaphors. Language (morphosyntax, semantic meaning, pragmatic meaning, discourse features) is entrenched in cultural conceptualisations. [...]The application of the model to such case studies constitutes an invaluable tool for different investigations, both theoretical and applied, a central one being that of universality vs. culture-specificity. Overall, the book offers an interesting account of an emerging area of investigation, that of cultural cognition. It is of relevance to scholars interested in the interface of language, culture and mind.”