Applications of conceptual blending: Headlines and their implicatures

• Main Author: Barczewska, Shala
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Faculty of Philosophy in Osijek 2017
• Subjects: conceptual blending; headline; implicature; frame; cognitive pragmatics; konceptualna integracija; naslov; implikatura; okvir; kognitivna pragmatika; sami
• Online Access: https://hrcak.srce.hr/190907; https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/281467

One of the claims of cognitive linguistics is that it is able to remove the semantic-pragmatic divide (cf. Evans & Green 2006), and yet the research conducted by in this field is at times criticized for focusing on word/phrase meaning (semantics) rather than their intended illocutionary force (pragmatics) (cf. Glebkin 2013; Pérez Hernández 2002; Ritchie 2004). A case in point is the criticism of conceptual blending for its apparent failure to acknowledge that the multiplicity of implied meanings emerging from the blend differ depending on variables such as discourse context, speaker/hearer culture, frames, intonation, and gesture. As a result, a growing collection of research has included additions to and modifications of the original Fauconnier and Turner diagram (cf. Coulson 2001; Ruiz de Mendoza & Peña Cervel 2002; Omazić 2005; Stadlemann 2012). This study analyses several of the proposed modifications of the conceptual blending model and applies them to the interpretation of headlines. Headlines provide an ideal source for analysis of implicature as the article itself provides context and commentary. This paper will discuss the effectiveness of allowing for frames, grounding, or additional input spaces in explaining the headline’s pragmatic effect. It is hoped that this paper will contribute to the development of cognitive pragmatics as a field of study in its own right. Jedna od tvrdnji kognitivne lingvistike je da je moguće ukloniti granicu između semantike i pragmatike (usp. Evans & Green 2006). Usprkos tomu, istraživanja u tome polju na udaru su kritike zbog fokusa na značenje riječi/ fraze (semantika), a ne njihovu ilokucijsku snagu (pragmatika) (usp. Glebkin 2013; Pérez Hernández 2002; Ritchie 2004). Prikladan primjer su kritike konceptualne integracije koja navodno propušta uzeti u obzir da mnogobrojna značenja koja proizlaze iz integracijskoga prostora ovise o varijablama kao što su kontekst u kojem se diskurs odvija, kultura govornika/ slušatelja, okviri, intonacija i geste. što je porastom broja radova u tome polju rezultiralo dodatcima i prilagodbama Fauconnierova i Turnerova izvornoga dijagrama (usp. Coulson 2001; Ruiz de Mendoza & Peña Cervel 2002; Omazić 2005; Stadlemann 2012). U ovome se radu analizira nekoliko predloženih modifikacija modela konceptualne integracije i primjenjuje ih se na tumačenje novinskih naslova. Naslovi se nameću kao idealan izvor za analizu implikatura budući da sami članak pruža kontekst i komentar. U radu se raspravlja o učinkovitosti uzimanja u obzir okvira, usidrenja ili dodatnih ulaznih prostora pri objašnjavanju pragmatičkoga učinka naslova. Nadamo se da će se ovim radom pridonijeti razvoju kognitivne pragmatike kao zasebnog polja istraživanja.