Teoretiese vooronderstellings van 'n kognitiewe gebruiksgebaseerde beskrywingsmodel vir die Afrikaanse grammatika / Theoretical presuppositions of a cognitive usage-based model of Afrikaans grammar

Abstract

Three theoretical presuppositions of a cognitive usage-based model of grammar are identified in this article, viz. that language is an integral part of human cognition, that grammar is inherently meaningful, and that usage-based data are essential for any linguistic description and explanation. These three presuppositions can be considered the most basic presuppositions from which all other assumptions, perspectives and points of departure of cognitive usage-based models stem. It is indicated that cognitive usage-based models are 'cognitive' to the extent that language structure is derived as far as possible from more general psychological capacities (e.g. symbolisation, composition, categorisation, schematisation and entrenchment), while it is 'usage-based' in that a description of the language system is grounded in repetitive usage events. On the grounds that language structure is considered to be symbolic, it can be expected from such models to give a comprehensive description of the conceptual import of grammatical constructions. In terms of methodological assumptions, such models can be characterised as maximalist, non-reductive, and 'bottom-up' models with which to describe and explain grammatical constructions of a specific language.