Van Huyssteen 2002a

Van Huyssteen, Gerhard B. 2002. “Teoretiese vooronderstellings van ‘n kognitiewe gebruiksgebaseerde beskrywingsmodel vir die Afrikaanse grammatika [Theoretical Assumptions of a Cognitive Usage-based Model for Afrikaans Grammar].” Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies 20 (4):303-323.

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.

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