nÃo hà / Este trabalho apresenta um estudo acerca do fenÃmeno do humor a partir da ocorrÃncia de (re)categorizaÃÃes metafÃricas em piadas. Partimos da hipÃtese de que esse tipo de ocorrÃncia pode servir como gatilho para o humor. O nosso objetivo à demonstrar nÃo apenas que as ocorrÃncias de (re)categorizaÃÃes metafÃricas respondem pela comicidade das piadas, mas tambÃm demonstrar de que forma se constrÃi o sentido de humor a partir da presenÃa dessas ocorrÃncias nas piadas. Ou seja, como sÃo recuperadas as inferÃncias que desencadeiam o efeito cÃmico. Entendendo que a construÃÃo global do sentido de humor, a partir da (re)categorizaÃÃo metafÃrica, demanda uma abordagem tanto dos aspectos lingÃÃsticos quanto dos aspectos cognitivos, propomo-nos, neste trabalho, fazer o enlace desses dois aspectos. Assim, fazemos uma abordagem das (re)categorizaÃÃes metafÃricas, do ponto de vista da LingÃÃstica Textual, caracterizando-as enquanto fenÃmenos lingÃÃsticos e sugerindo uma classificaÃÃo para esse tipo de ocorrÃncia, a partir dos tipos de recategorizaÃÃes lexicais analisados por ApothÃloz e Reichler-BÃguelin (1995). Ao mesmo tempo, trabalhamos tambÃm o processo de (re)categorizaÃÃo metafÃrica em seus aspectos cognitivos, com o suporte da LingÃÃstica Cognitiva, discorrendo sobre a atividade de categorizaÃÃo e sobre a metÃfora conceitual. Duas importantes questÃes emergem nesses nÃveis de descriÃÃo das (re)categorizaÃÃes metafÃricas: a concepÃÃo de cogniÃÃo como atividade incorporada e a concepÃÃo de referÃncia nÃo-extensional, a qual tratamos como referenciaÃÃo. Para explicitar os mecanismos cognitivos subjacentes Ãs (re)categorizaÃÃes metafÃricas na construÃÃo do efeito cÃmico, recorremos ao modelo da teoria da mesclagem conceitual. Essa teoria consiste, basicamente, num conjunto de processos criativos que se desenvolvem para a combinaÃÃo de informaÃÃes dentro de redes de espaÃos mentais. Para a implementaÃÃo da anÃlise, trabalhamos com um corpus constituÃdo por 31 piadas, coletadas de livros e revistas especÃficas do gÃnero humorÃstico. Os resultados da anÃlise qualitativa dos dados mostram que, indubitavelmente, as (re)categorizaÃÃes metafÃricas podem ser consideradas como mais um dispositivo de que dispÃe a lÃngua para construÃÃo do efeito cÃmico na piada. (318 palavras) / This work presents a study concerning the phenomenon of humor which arise from the occurrence of metaphorical recategorization in jokes. We start with the hypothesis that this type of occurrence can serve as a trigger for the emergence of humor. Our objective is to demonstrate not only that the occurrences of metaphorical recategorization are responsible for the comic effect of jokes, but also to demonstrate in what way the meaning of humor is constructed by the presence of these occurrences in the jokes. Or either, how the inferences that unchain the comic effect are recuperated. Understanding that the global construction of humorous meaning, from metaphorical recategorization, demand an approach of both the linguistic aspects as well as of the cognitive aspects, we propose, in this work, to make a link of these two aspects. We thus, approach metaphorical recategorizations, from the point of view of Textual Linguistics, characterizing them as linguistic phenomena and suggesting a classification for this type of occurrence, according to the types of lexical recategorizations analysed by ApothÃloz and Reichler-BÃguelin (1995). At the same time, we also work the process of metaphorical recategorization in its cognitive aspects, with the support of Cognitive Linguistics, discoursing on the activity of categorization and conceptual metaphor. Two important questions emerge at these levels of description of metaphorical recategorization: the conception of cognition as an embodied activity and the conception of non-extensional reference, which we treat as referentiation. To explain the underlying cognitive mechanisms of metaphorical recategorization in the construction of the comic effect, we appeal to the model of conceptual blending theory. This theory consists, basically, in a set of creative processes developed for the combination of information inside mental spaces networks. For the implementation of the analysis, we work with a sample consisting of 31 jokes, collected of books and specific magazines of the humorous genre. The results of the qualitative analysis of the data show that, doubtless, metaphorical recategorization can be considered an additional device the language makes use of for the construction of the comic effect in jokes. (340 words)

No description available.

[pt] Este trabalho apresenta os primeiros passos em direção a uma abordagem arquetípica para análise e percepção de enredos. A ideia principal é usar o conceito de arquétipos como uma lente para observar essas histórias e avaliar tropos. Arquétipos são tipos de personagens recorrentes e relações seguidas em narrativas. Usamos a definição de arquétipos de Vogler que atribui funções dramáticas e psicológicas a cada arquétipo para apontar seus papéis e objetivos na história. Primeiramente, fazemos uma análise completa do que são os arquétipos e como cada um é definido. O segundo passo é a criação de um instrumento argumentativo que denominamos Lente, para analisar narrativas sob a ótica dos arquétipos e, com base nos resultados, criar um modelo. O terceiro passo é aplicar esse novo modelo a trabalhos existentes de narratologia computacional e geração de enredo. Essa estratégia permite a análise crítica do uso de arquétipos para auxiliar na definição e percepção de uma trama. Decidimos usar a geração de enredo baseada em blending, porque esse tipo de geração de narrativa lida com uma situação complexa de geração de enredo. Neste trabalho, propomos incorporar vetores de peso arquetípicos nos operadores de planejamento automatizado que representam a história. Esses vetores são então ponderados usando a função dramática de cada arquétipo para ter um vetor arquetípico final representando o personagem. A criação da Lente busca padronizar a percepção e análise de narrativas. É fundamental que a metodologia de análise seja instrumentada, para usarmos seus resultados como reguladores dos pesos arquetípicos. Empregar a Lente do arquétipo em obras pode nos fornecer uma nova visão sobre a geração do enredo e a construção da narrativa. O resultado final de nossa pesquisa, aplicado no contexto de narrative blending, gera uma categorização dos arquétipos que cada personagem interpreta ao longo da narrativa. Esse resultado é apresentado de forma geral e episódica, para cada variante gerada. Essa categorização serve de base para analisarmos a qualidade da narrativa observando a relação de intenção e resultado. / [en] This work presents the first steps towards an archetypal-oriented approach to plot analysis and perception. The main idea is to use the concept of archetypes as a lens to look at these stories and evaluate tropes. Archetypes are recurring character types and relationships observable in narratives. We use Vogler s definition of archetypes which assigns dramatic and psychological functions to each archetype to pinpoint their roles and goals in the story. First, we do a thorough analysis of what archetypes are and how each is defined. The second step is the creation of an argumentative instrument that we call Lens, to analyze narratives from the perspective of archetypes and, based on the results, create a model. The third step is to apply this new model to existing works on computational narratology and plot generation. This strategy allows a critical analysis of the use of archetypes to help define and perceive a plot. We decided to use blending-based plot generation because this type of storytelling deals with a complex plot generation situation. In this work, we propose to incorporate archetypal weight vectors into the automated planning operators that represent the story. These vectors are then weighted using the dramatic role of each archetype to have a final archetypal vector representing the character. The creation of the Lens seeks to standardize the perception and analysis of narratives. It is fundamental that the analysis methodology be instrumented, so that we can use its results as regulators of archetypal weights. Employing the Archetype Lens in works can provide us with new insight into plot generation and narrative construction. The final result of our research, applied in the context of narrative blending, generates a categorization of the archetypes that each character interprets throughout the narrative. This result is presented in a general and episodic way, for each generated variant. This categorization serves as the basis for analyzing the quality of the narrative, observing the relationship between intention and result.

The novel Agaat by Marlene van Niekerk is a highly complex text. One of the most compelling aspects of the novel is the way in which the author constructs an underlying metaphorical grid which determines the composition of the novel. The motives in the novel cannot be regarded merely as motives because specific prominent and powerful metaphors are continually exploited by variation and extension. The complicated relationship between narrative and metaphor on different levels is of great importance in the interpretation of the novel. Due to the complexity of the text, the dominant metaphors cannot be analyzed in the traditional manner. In this study I want to demonstrate that conceptual blending theory, which can be regarded as a branch of conceptual metaphor theory, offers a theoretical framework that can be used to understand the underlying cognitive functioning of the interaction between author, text and reader. This dissertation will examine the processes of blending shaped from the mottos posted at the beginning of the novel. The three mottos, the music motto, the embroidery motto and the farming motto, act throughout the novel as a backdrop against which events in the novel can be interpreted. The blending formed from these mottos merge with other metaphors in the novel in order to generate meaning. The three mottos were taken from the introductions of the FAKVolksangbundel, the embroidery book Borduur so and the Hulpboek vir boere in Suid-Afrika. The three books are used by Milla to educate and teach Agaat. She uses the books to "create" Agaat and to mould her into the person that Milla wants her to be. The mottos stress the uplifting of the people and the creation of a true Afrikaner identity. Agaat accomplishes everything that the books require of her, she becomes an expert in the areas that determine the Afrikaner identity. However, as a brown woman, she is still not considered a member of community or as a fully acceptable civilized woman. The meanings of the other important metaphor in the novel, the mirror metaphor, are also investigated extensively. The mirror plays an important role in the relationship between Milla and Agaat. The mirror is also important in Milla's confrontation with herself, especially in her experience of her illness and her acceptance of her imminent death. The mirror is also used in the depiction of the relationship between characters and the experience of each other as the "Other". The blending of the mirror metaphor and the link that can be established with the theories of Lacan are part of one of the main blendings formed from the mirror metaphor. This metaphor also interacts with the embroidery metaphor. The mirror reflects images to the characters and via the characters to the readers which enforce moral judgments about perceptions and practices. The final part of the dissertation analyses how the dominant metaphors, namely music, embroidery, farming and the mirror, blend in multiple ways in the text to create new domains of meaning. The four main metaphors also blend with secondary metaphors in the novel in order to generate meaning. One of the important secondary metaphors is the "waterhondjies". The "waterhondjies" blend with Guido Gezelle's poem "Het Schrijverke". There is also emphasis on the relationship between writing and the "waterhondjies". The blending of the caeser butterfly plays an important role in the novel as well. In the final chapter the statement is made that the metaphors and symbols in Agaat cannot merely be regarded and interpreted as traditional motives, but rather as examples of cognitive blending. The types of blending in the novel require the cooperation of the reader in all cases. The reader must, in some cases, as with the mirror metaphor and the metaphor of the "waterhondjies", identify and activate the second domain of the blend. In the case of the mottos the different domains of the blend are activated by the author and the reader only needs to provide an interpretation. At the end of the dissertation the conclusion is made that the blending theory offers a suitable method and terminology to analyze the complex processes of generating meaning in the novel. / Thesis (M.A. (Afrikaans and Dutch))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010

Cette étude offre une lecture de The Waves de Virginia Woolf en tant qu’une représentation fictive des “formes exactes de la pensée.” Elle établit le lien entre le récit de The Waves et l’expérience personnelle de l’auteur avec “les voix” qui hantaient son esprit, en raison de sa maladie maniaco-dépressive. La présente étude propose également une analyse du roman inspirée par la théorie de la “fusion conceptuelle:” cette approche narrative a pour but de (1) souligner “la fusion” de l’imagination, des émotions, et de la perception qui constitue l’essence du récit de The Waves, (2) mettre l’accent sur les “configurations mentales” subtilement développées par/entre les voix du récit, en vue de diminuer le semblant de la désorganisation et de l’éparpillement des pensées généré par la représentation de la conscience, (3) permettre au lecteur d’accéder à la configuration subjective et identitaire des différentes voix du récit en traçant l’éventail de leurs pensées “fusionnées.” L’argument de cette dissertation est subdivisé en trois chapitres: le premier chapitre emploie la théorie de la fusion conceptuelle afin de souligner les processus mentaux menant à la création de “moments de vision.” Il décrit la manière dont la fusion des pensées intérieures et de la perception dans les “moments de vision” pourrait servir de tremplin à la configuration subjective des voix du récit. La deuxième section interprète l’ensemble des voix du roman en tant qu’une “société de soi-mêmes.” À l’aide de la théorie de la fusion conceptuelle, elle met l’accent sur les formes de pensée entrelacées entre les différentes voix du récit, ce qui permet aux protagonistes de développer une identité interrelationnelle, placée au plein centre des différentes subjectivités. Le troisième chapitre trace les processus mentaux permettant aux différentes voix du roman de développer une forme de subjectivité cohérente et intégrée. Dans ce chapitre, l’idée de la fusion des différents aspects de l’identité proposée par Fauconnier et Turner est employée pour décrire l’intégration des éléments de la subjectivité des protagonistes en une seule configuration identitaire. D’ailleurs, ce chapitre propose une interprétation du triste suicide de Rhoda qui met en relief son inaptitude à intégrer les fragments de sa subjectivité en une identité cohérente et “fusionnée.” / This dissertation starts with the premise that Virginia Woolf’s The Waves is to be read as a “mind thinking” and as an expression of “the exact shapes” that the mind holds. It establishes the link between Woolf’s experience of writing The Waves and her obsession with the “voices that fly ahead;” i.e. the very voices that used to prey on her mind as a result of her manic-depressive illness. It also offers a reading to the novel inspired by Conceptual Blending Theory: this framework helps (1) account for the “blend” of sensory impressions, feelings, and imaginative thoughts that constitute the essence of The Waves, (2) make up for the dispersed and seemingly fragmented nature of the narrative by emphasizing the various “mental patterns” weaved by/among the mind’s different voices, and (3) enable the reader to pin down a sense of the protagonists’ identities by carefully following their “blended” mental processes. The argument of this dissertation is developed in three chapters: the first chapter uses blending theory to highlight the mental processes that lead to the crystallization of intense “moments of visions.” It shows how a sense of the protagonists’ subjectivities would emerge by virtue of the “patterned” insight gained in those peculiar moments of revelation. The second chapter reads The Waves as a “society of selves.” Using Blending Theory, it emphasizes the “patterned” mental connections weaved among the different voices, which allows them to gain a “situated” or inter-relational form of insight about their own subjectivities. The third chapter follows the mental processes that enable The Waves’ protagonists to construct a stable and coherent sense of identity through the mental integration of different aspects of their subjectivities. In this chapter, Fauconnier and Turner’s notion of “living in the blend” is used to show how, in the course of their subjective development, The Waves’ voices would achieve an overall sense of psychological and identitary “wholeness.” The chapter also accounts for Rhoda’s unfortunate suicide in terms of her inability to continue to live in the very blend of her personal identity.

This dissertation attempts to trace the shifting relationship between the fields of Rhetoric and Poetry in Western culture by focusing on poetry contests and competitions during several different historical eras. In order to examine how the distinction between the two fields is contingent on a variety of local factors, this study makes use of research in contemporary cognitive neuroscience, particularly work in categorization and cognitive linguistics, to emphasize the provisional nature of conceptual thought; that is, on the type of mental activity that gives rise to conceptualizations such as “Rhetoric” and “Poetry.” The final portions of the research attempt to use some modeling techniques derived from cognitive linguistics as invention strategies for producing stylistically idiosyncratic academic knowledge, and for examining the relationship between the stylistic markers we associate with each of the two aforementioned fields.

Cette étude offre une lecture de The Waves de Virginia Woolf en tant qu’une représentation fictive des “formes exactes de la pensée.” Elle établit le lien entre le récit de The Waves et l’expérience personnelle de l’auteur avec “les voix” qui hantaient son esprit, en raison de sa maladie maniaco-dépressive. La présente étude propose également une analyse du roman inspirée par la théorie de la “fusion conceptuelle:” cette approche narrative a pour but de (1) souligner “la fusion” de l’imagination, des émotions, et de la perception qui constitue l’essence du récit de The Waves, (2) mettre l’accent sur les “configurations mentales” subtilement développées par/entre les voix du récit, en vue de diminuer le semblant de la désorganisation et de l’éparpillement des pensées généré par la représentation de la conscience, (3) permettre au lecteur d’accéder à la configuration subjective et identitaire des différentes voix du récit en traçant l’éventail de leurs pensées “fusionnées.” L’argument de cette dissertation est subdivisé en trois chapitres: le premier chapitre emploie la théorie de la fusion conceptuelle afin de souligner les processus mentaux menant à la création de “moments de vision.” Il décrit la manière dont la fusion des pensées intérieures et de la perception dans les “moments de vision” pourrait servir de tremplin à la configuration subjective des voix du récit. La deuxième section interprète l’ensemble des voix du roman en tant qu’une “société de soi-mêmes.” À l’aide de la théorie de la fusion conceptuelle, elle met l’accent sur les formes de pensée entrelacées entre les différentes voix du récit, ce qui permet aux protagonistes de développer une identité interrelationnelle, placée au plein centre des différentes subjectivités. Le troisième chapitre trace les processus mentaux permettant aux différentes voix du roman de développer une forme de subjectivité cohérente et intégrée. Dans ce chapitre, l’idée de la fusion des différents aspects de l’identité proposée par Fauconnier et Turner est employée pour décrire l’intégration des éléments de la subjectivité des protagonistes en une seule configuration identitaire. D’ailleurs, ce chapitre propose une interprétation du triste suicide de Rhoda qui met en relief son inaptitude à intégrer les fragments de sa subjectivité en une identité cohérente et “fusionnée.” / This dissertation starts with the premise that Virginia Woolf’s The Waves is to be read as a “mind thinking” and as an expression of “the exact shapes” that the mind holds. It establishes the link between Woolf’s experience of writing The Waves and her obsession with the “voices that fly ahead;” i.e. the very voices that used to prey on her mind as a result of her manic-depressive illness. It also offers a reading to the novel inspired by Conceptual Blending Theory: this framework helps (1) account for the “blend” of sensory impressions, feelings, and imaginative thoughts that constitute the essence of The Waves, (2) make up for the dispersed and seemingly fragmented nature of the narrative by emphasizing the various “mental patterns” weaved by/among the mind’s different voices, and (3) enable the reader to pin down a sense of the protagonists’ identities by carefully following their “blended” mental processes. The argument of this dissertation is developed in three chapters: the first chapter uses blending theory to highlight the mental processes that lead to the crystallization of intense “moments of visions.” It shows how a sense of the protagonists’ subjectivities would emerge by virtue of the “patterned” insight gained in those peculiar moments of revelation. The second chapter reads The Waves as a “society of selves.” Using Blending Theory, it emphasizes the “patterned” mental connections weaved among the different voices, which allows them to gain a “situated” or inter-relational form of insight about their own subjectivities. The third chapter follows the mental processes that enable The Waves’ protagonists to construct a stable and coherent sense of identity through the mental integration of different aspects of their subjectivities. In this chapter, Fauconnier and Turner’s notion of “living in the blend” is used to show how, in the course of their subjective development, The Waves’ voices would achieve an overall sense of psychological and identitary “wholeness.” The chapter also accounts for Rhoda’s unfortunate suicide in terms of her inability to continue to live in the very blend of her personal identity.

This dissertation combines psycholinguistic, sociolinguistic and cognitive linguistic approaches to study the language production phenomenon of crosslinguistic influence (CLI). Modern psycholinguistics has taken an active interest in language production studies, offering a particularly influential model of speech production that is examined in detail. And yet, as many researchers have argued, language data alone are insufficient to paint an accurate portrait of a given speaker’s language use. Whether mono- or multilingual, a speaker’s system of language(s) is itself a sub-system of the language system of the speaker’s family, community, culture, etc. At the same time, recent cognitive linguistic advances in the study of conceptual blending and construction grammar offer unique insights into the structure of the lexicon and even concepts themselves. This dissertation examines the speech production of multilinguals whose English language system has been acquired but is still developing. Such a system is dynamic and subject to unpredictable dynamic effects, here grouped under the general rubric of CLI. The psycholinguistic aspects of this study are concerned with establishing the psychology of students’ language use. The sociolinguistic aspect addresses the need to research the sociocultural background within which the English language system has been acquired. The cognitive linguistic aspects allow in-depth insights into the cognitive and conceptual mechanisms underlying the... [to full text] / Šioje disertacijoje, siekiant ištirti kalbos produkavimo fenomeną, taikomi psicholingvistikos, sociolingvistikos ir kognityvinės lingvistikos metodai. Šių dienų psicholingvistai atliko daugybę kalbos produkavimo tyrimų, siūlydami itin svarbų kalbos produkavimo modelį, kuris bus išsamiai išnagrinėtas. Tačiau, kaip dauguma mokslininkų įrodinėjo, vien tik kalbos duomenų nepakanka norint pateikti išsamų konkretaus kalbos vartotojo kalbos vartojimo vaizdą. Nepriklausomai nuo to, ar kalbantysis yra vienakalbis, ar dvikalbis, jo kalbos (-ų) sistema pati yra kalbančiojo šeimos, bendruomenės, kultūros ir kt. kalbos sistemų posistemė. Be to, dabartinės kognityvinės lingvistikos progresas nagrinėjant konceptualiąją metaforą, konceptualųjį derinimą ir konstrukcijų gramatiką teikia unikalių įžvalgų apie žodyno ir net pačių sąvokų struktūrą. Šioje disertacijoje yra nagrinėjamas daugiakalbių, kurie jau yra įsisavinę anglų kalbos sistemą, tačiau kurių kalbos įgūdžiai tebesivysto, kalbos produkavimas. Tokia sistema yra dinamiška ir priklauso nuo iš anksto nenumatomų kintamųjų, kurie šiame darbe pateikti bendrame skyriuje tarpkalbinė įtaka. Psicholingvistiniu šio tyrimo požiūriu siekiama nustatyti studentų kalbos vartojimo psichologinius aspektus. Sociolingvistiniu šio darbo aspektu pabrėžiamas poreikis išnagrinėti sociokultūrinę aplinką, kurioje tiriamieji įsisavino anglų kalbos sistemą. Kognityvinės lingvistikos aspektai leidžia giliau pažvelgti į kognityvinius ir konceptualius mechanizmus... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

Šioje disertacijoje, siekiant ištirti kalbos produkavimo fenomeną, taikomi psicholingvistikos, sociolingvistikos ir kognityvinės lingvistikos metodai. Šių dienų psicholingvistai atliko daugybę kalbos produkavimo tyrimų, siūlydami itin svarbų kalbos produkavimo modelį, kuris bus išsamiai išnagrinėtas. Tačiau, kaip dauguma mokslininkų įrodinėjo, vien tik kalbos duomenų nepakanka norint pateikti išsamų konkretaus kalbos vartotojo kalbos vartojimo vaizdą. Nepriklausomai nuo to, ar kalbantysis yra vienakalbis, ar dvikalbis, jo kalbos (-ų) sistema pati yra kalbančiojo šeimos, bendruomenės, kultūros ir kt. kalbos sistemų posistemė. Be to, dabartinės kognityvinės lingvistikos progresas nagrinėjant konceptualiąją metaforą, konceptualųjį derinimą ir konstrukcijų gramatiką teikia unikalių įžvalgų apie žodyno ir net pačių sąvokų struktūrą. Šioje disertacijoje yra nagrinėjamas daugiakalbių, kurie jau yra įsisavinę anglų kalbos sistemą, tačiau kurių kalbos įgūdžiai tebesivysto, kalbos produkavimas. Tokia sistema yra dinamiška ir priklauso nuo iš anksto nenumatomų kintamųjų, kurie šiame darbe pateikti bendrame skyriuje tarpkalbinė įtaka. Psicholingvistiniu šio tyrimo požiūriu siekiama nustatyti studentų kalbos vartojimo psichologinius aspektus. Sociolingvistiniu šio darbo aspektu pabrėžiamas poreikis išnagrinėti sociokultūrinę aplinką, kurioje tiriamieji įsisavino anglų kalbos sistemą. Kognityvinės lingvistikos aspektai leidžia giliau pažvelgti į kognityvinius ir konceptualius mechanizmus... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / This dissertation combines psycholinguistic, sociolinguistic and cognitive linguistic approaches to study the language production phenomenon of crosslinguistic influence (CLI). Modern psycholinguistics has taken an active interest in language production studies, offering a particularly influential model of speech production that is examined in detail. And yet, as many researchers have argued, language data alone are insufficient to paint an accurate portrait of a given speaker’s language use. Whether mono- or multilingual, a speaker’s system of language(s) is itself a sub-system of the language system of the speaker’s family, community, culture, etc. At the same time, recent cognitive linguistic advances in the study of conceptual blending and construction grammar offer unique insights into the structure of the lexicon and even concepts themselves. This dissertation examines the speech production of multilinguals whose English language system has been acquired but is still developing. Such a system is dynamic and subject to unpredictable dynamic effects, here grouped under the general rubric of CLI. The psycholinguistic aspects of this study are concerned with establishing the psychology of students’ language use. The sociolinguistic aspect addresses the need to research the sociocultural background within which the English language system has been acquired. The cognitive linguistic aspects allow in-depth insights into the cognitive and conceptual mechanisms underlying the... [to full text]

The novel Agaat by Marlene van Niekerk is a highly complex text. One of the most compelling aspects of the novel is the way in which the author constructs an underlying metaphorical grid which determines the composition of the novel. The motives in the novel cannot be regarded merely as motives because specific prominent and powerful metaphors are continually exploited by variation and extension. The complicated relationship between narrative and metaphor on different levels is of great importance in the interpretation of the novel. Due to the complexity of the text, the dominant metaphors cannot be analyzed in the traditional manner. In this study I want to demonstrate that conceptual blending theory, which can be regarded as a branch of conceptual metaphor theory, offers a theoretical framework that can be used to understand the underlying cognitive functioning of the interaction between author, text and reader. This dissertation will examine the processes of blending shaped from the mottos posted at the beginning of the novel. The three mottos, the music motto, the embroidery motto and the farming motto, act throughout the novel as a backdrop against which events in the novel can be interpreted. The blending formed from these mottos merge with other metaphors in the novel in order to generate meaning. The three mottos were taken from the introductions of the FAKVolksangbundel, the embroidery book Borduur so and the Hulpboek vir boere in Suid-Afrika. The three books are used by Milla to educate and teach Agaat. She uses the books to "create" Agaat and to mould her into the person that Milla wants her to be. The mottos stress the uplifting of the people and the creation of a true Afrikaner identity. Agaat accomplishes everything that the books require of her, she becomes an expert in the areas that determine the Afrikaner identity. However, as a brown woman, she is still not considered a member of community or as a fully acceptable civilized woman. The meanings of the other important metaphor in the novel, the mirror metaphor, are also investigated extensively. The mirror plays an important role in the relationship between Milla and Agaat. The mirror is also important in Milla's confrontation with herself, especially in her experience of her illness and her acceptance of her imminent death. The mirror is also used in the depiction of the relationship between characters and the experience of each other as the "Other". The blending of the mirror metaphor and the link that can be established with the theories of Lacan are part of one of the main blendings formed from the mirror metaphor. This metaphor also interacts with the embroidery metaphor. The mirror reflects images to the characters and via the characters to the readers which enforce moral judgments about perceptions and practices. The final part of the dissertation analyses how the dominant metaphors, namely music, embroidery, farming and the mirror, blend in multiple ways in the text to create new domains of meaning. The four main metaphors also blend with secondary metaphors in the novel in order to generate meaning. One of the important secondary metaphors is the "waterhondjies". The "waterhondjies" blend with Guido Gezelle's poem "Het Schrijverke". There is also emphasis on the relationship between writing and the "waterhondjies". The blending of the caeser butterfly plays an important role in the novel as well. In the final chapter the statement is made that the metaphors and symbols in Agaat cannot merely be regarded and interpreted as traditional motives, but rather as examples of cognitive blending. The types of blending in the novel require the cooperation of the reader in all cases. The reader must, in some cases, as with the mirror metaphor and the metaphor of the "waterhondjies", identify and activate the second domain of the blend. In the case of the mottos the different domains of the blend are activated by the author and the reader only needs to provide an interpretation. At the end of the dissertation the conclusion is made that the blending theory offers a suitable method and terminology to analyze the complex processes of generating meaning in the novel. / Thesis (M.A. (Afrikaans and Dutch))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010