• Maillat Didier

In this seminar, we will investigate a supposedly rare, or artificial, arguably artistic and exceptional use of the English language: metaphoric uses (aka figurative language). This seminar will demonstrate that despite a widely held view, metaphors are not special uses but that they offer a unique insight into fundamental aspects of the human mind. Using a double approach based on cognitive linguistics and pragmatics, we will argue that metaphors are surface forms of deeper cognitive processes. We will also see that they do not differ qualitatively from non-figurative uses. Students will also become acquainted with experimental investigations of metaphor comprehension.

-          methodological and practical approach to carrying empirical research with linguistic data in English

-          theoretical and methodological tools used to investigate the relation between cognition and figurative language

-          understanding of fundamental processes governing the interpretation of English figurative expressions.

-          knowledge of the current relevant issues in the field

-          critical evaluation of scientific papers

A bibliography and a list of assigned readings will be made available in the first week of the semester. Introductory textbooks to cognitive linguistics and pragmatics would give students a head start to these questions: Croft & Cruse, Cognitive linguistics, CUP 2004; Birner, Introduction to Pragmatics, Wiley, 2012; Clark, Relevance Theory, CUP, 2013.