1. Historical prerequisites of Cognitive Linguistics: first formation; four stages: place, time, peculiarities of cognitive linguistic research on each stage.

Historical background (prerequisites). Cognitive Science is considered to have taken its birth in 1950^th – 1960^th in America. In the 50^th there was a symposium on Theory of Information where the question of cognitive studies was touched and in the 60^th the first center of the cognitive research in Harvard University was organized. Cognitive Linguistics refused immanent approach to the subject of language and emphasized its functional active nature. Such attitude echoed one of Cognitive Psychology that denied bringing human vital functions and life activity to only scheme of ‘stimulus – response’ (peculiar to the Method of Behaviorism).

Stages

1. 1975, America (Cognitive Grammar)

Cognitive Linguistics focuses its study on Cognitive Grammar.

Grammar or Structure of Language is the result cognitive activity of Man. It implies certain logical categorization of semantics (system of meanings). Logical processing information refers to cognitive processes. Thus, peculiarities of Grammar reflect specific ways of cognizing reality. Grammar of a language, being understood as a reflection of cognitive organization, is considered to fix central concepts that are reflected in vocabulary. It is comprehended as a ground which organizes cognitive reflecting reality.

Basic concepts of Action, Agent of it (who does an action), Object to which an action is directed are said to be the proprieties of any language grammatical organization and, thus, they are certain universal concepts, appropriate to any human cognition.

Differences refer to a particular grammatical organization.

For instance, compare Syntax of the German and the Russian Languages (direct word order and a specific place of the Prefix of a Verb-Predicate in German, which correlates with ‘the German accuracy’).

2. 1980^th – 1990^th, Europe (using the data of Cognitive Grammar (1^st stage); concentrating on means of getting knowledge from Text)

Perception and processing information during the speech outcome (text) form the main field of interest. The problems of means of getting information (knowledge) from Text and ways of comprehending it are raised.

Concept is seen as a definite core of Text which organizes the linguistic form of the latter. Interpretation of a text leads to distinguishing and understanding the central concept of it and / or the system of its concepts.

For instance, central concept (nucleus) of the sonnet by Shakespeare “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun…” can be comprehended as “True Love to a Real Woman”, which stipulates the linguistic-stylistic form of the sonnet. Or the concept ‘Change’ in “Cat in the Rain”, or ‘Lost Generation’ in “A very Short Story” by E. Hemingway.

3. 1990^th, Russia (Cognitive Semantics, Language Picture of the World formation)

Cognitive Linguistics is understood more as Cognitive Semantics than Cognitive Grammar. Vocabulary is more important in studying concepts as it contains system of meanings fixed in words. Problem of forming Language Picture of the World is raised (concept as a product of cognition and language in reflecting the reality).

Studying the semantics of a concept through the analysis of language form of concept’s realization leads to comprehending the essence and peculiarities of a concept.

For instance, interpretation of dictionary meanings of the words ‘Truth’ and ‘Lie’ and further interpretation of the notions ‘Truth’ and ‘Lie’ lead to understanding the conceptual sense and organization of contents of the concepts linguistically represented with the names ‘Truth’ and ‘Lie’.

4. The beginning of the 21^st century, both Eastern and Western sciences (categorization and generalization of the achieved knowledge and formation of a general conception).

The stage is characterized with analyzing the obtained in the result of cognitive linguistic research knowledge, conceptualizing it and forming certain general conception of Cognitive Linguistic as a science.

For instance, there is general determining the phenomena of Concept and Language Knowledge; comprehending the structure of Concept containing nucleus, around-nucleus zone, periphery and the farthest periphery; differentiating a Cognitive Concept and a Concept of a Literary Text. Though, there are different approaches to understanding Concept, classifying it, interpreting its content, etc.

So, there is an open field for cognitive linguistic research in the sphere of human sciences.

2. Concept as a complex multisided phenomenon: the notion of Concept; factors of forming concept; cognitive and linguistic aspects in the phenomenon of Concept; cultural and individual aspects; peculiarities of their correlation.

Concept – …………..

Choose a definition or a couple of them you like better (the list is applied at the end).

Concept, in general, relates with Language, Cognition and Culture (as a language is a keeper, a store-house, a depository of a culture, and cognition is formed in a language and cultural surrounding). They are general factors which stipulate formation of a concept.

The relations can be comprehended in the following way:

- Cognition is a sphere where Concept exists (it is kept there);

- Culture determines peculiarities of Concept (Concept is a mental projection of elements of Culture);

- Language (materialized through Speech) is a sphere in which Concept is realized, subjected.

Formation of Concept in Cognition of a man is realized on the ground of:

- a man’s individual sensor experience (perception of reality with the organs of feelings and senses);

- direct operations of a man with objects and things that refer to his subjective activity;

- thinking operations of a man with other concepts (that have already been formed in his consciousness);

- language communication (explanation of the essence of a concept);

- own individual cognition of language units’ meanings which are learnt and mastered by a man (e.g., looking up into a dictionary to learn the meaning of a new word).

The phenomenon of Man is distinguished from the fauna of the world with the unique ability to cognize and, thus, with the phenomenon of cognition and the one of consciousness.

Cognition – mental ability to cognize the world: the process by which a man recognizes and understands things; the process by which knowledge and understanding is developed in the mind.

Consciousness – a certain comprehension of the world: someone’s mind and thoughts; the state of being able to use your senses and mental powers to understand what is happening.

One of the phenomena that consciousness works out is a cognitive-linguistic phenomenon of Concept which is, on the one hand, a certain product of cognition, and, on the other one, a peculiar basic unit of consciousness.

Concept is a multisided complex phenomenon which is stipulated by a series of main factors, such as:

1. cognitive (general): the ability of men to think and cognize the world and themselves in it; the ability to process experience, get information, memorize it, as well as transform and develop;

2. linguistic (general): the ability of men to express their thoughts with a help of linguistic means, to present a thought in a language form in communicative purposes;

3. linguistic (particular): the influence of a particular language on perceiving things (e.g.: English is said to be a ‘predicative language’, rather ordered and quite a laconic one, Russian – ‘nominative’, ‘contemplating’ with quite a free order of words. Corresponding features can be followed in the Russian and English national characters);

4. cultural: the influence of a particular culture that directs traditional attitude to things (national mentality, customs, traditions, etc.);

5. social: the influence of a particular social group;

6. individual: unique attitude to the world.

Cognitive Linguistics studies Concept as a phenomenon which appears as a result of a certain collision of linguistic and psychological cognitive data.