Language and social cognition

Mehr zum Buch

This collection of 16 papers features contributions from eminent scholars across various disciplines, presenting diverse yet cohesive perspectives on the expression, acquisition, and management of social knowledge. It systematically explores the social functions of language, an area often overlooked due to its complexity and the focus on cognitive aspects. The volume begins by addressing fundamental issues regarding the social nature of humans and language, providing compelling evidence for the social foundations of human nature as reflected in language and culture. The second section illustrates how social functions manifest in discourse through language play, humor, irony, and references to social schemas. The third part delves into specific linguistic elements that carry social-cognitive functions, revealing that these functions often require inference based on social knowledge and non-verbal cues, as languages provide limited direct expressions. Notably, the multifunctionality of linguistic devices does not hinder their quick recognition. This work enriches the cognitive-linguistic framework for linguists, enhances understanding of pragmatics, and offers valuable insights for social and cognitive psychologists regarding the encoding and decoding of social aspects. Additionally, it presents fruitful ideas for students in cultural and communication studies.