THE FORMATION OF COGNITIVE LINGUISTICS AS A SCIENCE

Abstract

This article traces the formation and evolution of cognitive linguistics as a scientific discipline, emerging in the second half of the 20th century (1960s-1980s), shaped by pivotal influences such as Noam Chomsky’s transformational-generative grammar, the rise of cognitive sciences, and the groundbreaking hypotheses of Sapir and Whorf on language-thought connections. It highlights the development of key theoretical frameworks, including the Conceptual Metaphor Theory by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, which posits language as a fundamental aspect of human thinking, and Frame Semantics by Charles Fillmore, which explores how language organizes conceptual information. The article examines the central research area of the relationship between language and thinking, contrasting the linguistic relativity theory (Sapir-Whorf hypothesis) with the universalistic approach (Chomsky’s universal grammar) and emphasizing their interactive dynamics. Additional focus is placed on the interplay between language and consciousness, supported by advancements in neurolinguistics and psycholinguistics, including studies of brain-language relationships, language learning, and disorders like aphasia. The article concludes by underscoring the potential of cognitive linguistics to contribute to future scientific advancements in artificial intelligence, education, and speech therapy, reflecting its interdisciplinary significance.