English: Theoretical presuppositions of a cognitive usage-based model of Afrikaans grammar. 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.
Afrikaans: In hierdie artikel word drie teoretiese vooronderstellings van ‘n kognitiewe gebruiksgebaseerde beskrywingsmodel vir die grammatika geïdentifiseer; te wete dat taal integraal deel is van menslike kognisie; dat die grammatika inherent betekenisvol is; en dat werklike taalgebruiksdata sentraal staan in taalkundige beskrywings en verklarings. Hierdie drie vooronderstellings kan beskou word as die mees basiese vooronderstellings waaruit alle ander aannames; perspektiewe en uitgangspunte van kognitiewe gebruiksgebaseerde modelle spruit. Daar word aangetoon dat kognitiewe gebruiksgebaseerde beskrywingsmodelle ‘kognitief’ is in die sin dat taalstruktuur sover moontlik afgelei word van meer algemene psigologiese vermoëns (soos byvoorbeeld simbolisering; komposisie; kategorisering; skematisering en vestiging); terwyl dit ‘gebruiksgebaseerd’ is in soverre daar‘n beskrywing gegee word van die taalsisteem wat voortspruit uit herhaalde taalgebruiksepisodes. Op grond van die feit dat taalstruktuur as simbolies beskou word; kan ons sê dat sodanige beskrywingsmodelle daartoe in staat moet wees om ‘n volledige beskrywing van die konseptuele invoer van grammatikale konstruksies te kan gee. Hierdie beskrywingsmodelle kan op grond van die metodologiese uitgangspunte verder gekarakteriseer word as ‘n maksimalistiese; nie-beperkende; ‘bottom-up’ beskrywingsmodel; waarmee grammatikale konstruksies van ‘n bepaalde taal beskryf en verklaar kan word.