LINGUIST List 23.976: Diss: Applied Ling: Farsani: 'Conceptualization of the Semantics of ...'

LINGUIST List 23.976
Mon Feb 27 2012 Diss: Applied Ling: Farsani: 'Conceptualization of the Semantics of ...' Editor for this issue: Xiyan Wang <xiyanlinguistlist.org>
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Directory 1. Hussen Farsani , Conceptualization of the Semantics of Phrasal Verbs in English as a Foreign Language: A cognitive linguistics perspective Message 1: Conceptualization of the Semantics of Phrasal Verbs in English as a Foreign Language: A cognitive linguistics perspective
Date: 26-Feb-2012 From: Hussen Farsani <hmfarsanigmail.com> Subject: Conceptualization of the Semantics of Phrasal Verbs in English as a Foreign Language: A cognitive linguistics perspective E-mail this message to a friend Institution: University of Isfahan Program: TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language Dissertation Status: Completed Degree Date: 2012 Author: Hussein M. Farsani Dissertation Title: Conceptualization of the Semantics of Phrasal Verbs in English as a Foreign Language: A cognitive linguistics perspective Linguistic Field(s): Applied Linguistics Dissertation Director: Mansoor Tavakoli Saeed Ketabi Abbas Eslami Rasekh Mohammad Reza Talebinezhad Ahmad Moinzadeh Dissertation Abstract: Learning the behavior and meaning of phrasal verbs in English can prove challenging to the foreign language learner. This is mainly because such verbs sometimes display non-conventional, figurative senses as a result of their unique combinations with various prepositional/adverbial particles. More importantly however, the non-native speaker has not had the chances to go through the conceptualizing experiences of native speakers of the language due to the absence of a culturally/socially-inspired experiential language setting giving rise to certain image-schematic patterns as envisaged in Cognitive Linguistics (CL). The present study takes this issue as its point of departure and makes an attempt to examine whether pedagogically-designed picture-cued tasks of various levels of abstraction revealing the image-schematic concepts behind phrasal verbs could take child and young adult learners through similar context-embedded experiences so as to enhance their learning and appropriate use of such verbs. For this purpose, 36 children aged 7-11 and 56 young adult learners aged 12-18 at intermediate levels of English proficiency were selected based on their scores on a placement test and went through the process of learning 42 phrasal verbs in two experimental and two control groups each comprising 18 participants for children and 28 learners for young adults respectively. Comparison of the results from the pre-, post-, and a delayed post-test reveal a positive effect for picture-cued tasks (in contrast to mere descriptive dictionary definitions) raising learners' awareness toward the image-schematic concepts behind English phrasal verbs. This is especially true for young adult participants in their experimental group where the level of significance of the results was generally higher than that for the child experimental group. The study also carries implications for foreign language pedagogy as the tasks particularly designed for the purposes of this study could be added to the body of effective tasks available in Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT). This Year the LINGUIST List hopes to raise $67,000. This money will go to help keep the List running by supporting all of our Student Editors for the coming year. See below for donation instructions, and don't forget to check out Fund Drive 2012 site! http://linguistlist.org/fund-drive/2012/ There are many ways to donate to LINGUIST! You can donate right now using our secure credit card form at https://linguistlist.org/donation/donate/donate1.cfm Alternatively you can also pledge right now and pay later. To do so, go to: https://linguistlist.org/donation/pledge/pledge1.cfm For all information on donating and pledging, including information on how to donate by check, money order, or wire transfer, please visit: http://linguistlist.org/donation/ The LINGUIST List is under the umbrella of Eastern Michigan University and as such can receive donations through the EMU Foundation, which is a registered 501(c) Non Profit organization. Our Federal Tax number is 38-6005986. These donations can be offset against your federal and sometimes your state tax return (U.S. tax payers only). For more information visit the IRS Web-Site, or contact your financial advisor. Many companies also offer a gift matching program, such that they will match any gift you make to a non-profit organization. Normally this entails your contacting your human resources department and sending us a form that the EMU Foundation fills in and returns to your employer. This is generally a simple administrative procedure that doubles the value of your gift to LINGUIST, without costing you an extra penny. Please take a moment to check if your company operates such a program. Thank you very much for your support of LINGUIST! Read more issues\|LINGUIST home page\|Top of issue

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