LINGUIST List 15.951

Sat Mar 20 2004

FYI: Lakoff in Beijing; Ling Closes at Durham

Editor for this issue: Anne Clarke <annelinguistlist.org>

Directory

  • Dr Thomas Li, Professor George Lakoff Offers Series of Lectures in Beijing
  • S.J. Hannahs, Closure of Linguistics at the University of Durham

    Message 1: Professor George Lakoff Offers Series of Lectures in Beijing

     Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2004 16:56:52 +0800
    From: Dr Thomas Li <lifuyinpublic.qd.sd.cn>
    Subject: Professor George Lakoff Offers Series of Lectures in Beijing


    Dear All,

    Prof George Lakoff will give a series of ten lectures in Beijing. The host university is Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (BUAA). Reception will also be offered by Peking University, Tsinghua University, Beijing Normal University, and Beijing Foreign Studies University. The topics and venues are attached below. All lectures are open to the public, and are free. All are welcome!

    Thomas Fuyin LI, PhD Professor of Linguistics

    Research Institute for Foreign Languages & Department of Foreign Languages Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (BUAA) 37 Xue Yuan Rd, Haidian District, Beijing. P.R. China, 100083 Fax:(86)-10-8231-6233 E-mail: thomaslifuyinhotmail.com

    Beihang Linguistics Lecture Series

    Speaker: George Lakoff, Professor of Linguistics, University of California at Berkeley.

    Host University: Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (BUAA)

    Lecture One:

    April 9, Friday; 9:00 - 11:30 am, Ruxin International Conference Center , BUAA.

    Topic: Generative Semantics: The Background to Cognitive Linguistics Generative semantics was an early attempt to unite logic and transformational grammar. It failed, because both logic and transformational grammar failed. This lecture will discuss what it was and the reasons why transformational grammar and logic failed. Their failure laid the groundwork for cognitive linguistics.

    Lecture Two:

    April 9, Friday, 2:30 - 5:00 pm, Ruxin International Conference Center, BUAA

    Topic: Cognitive Semantics: The Basic Mechanisms of Thought An overview of cognitive semantics: image-schemas, frames, metaphor, metonymy, prototypes, mental spaces and blends.

    Lecture Three:

    April 10, Saturday, 9:00 - 11:30 am, Ruxin International Conference Center, BUAA

    Topic: Cognitive Semantics: The Basic Mechanisms of Thought Detailed discussion on specific issues.

    Lecture Four:

    April 10, Saturday, 2:30 - 5:00 pm, Ruxin International Conference Center, BUAA

    Topic: Cognitive Semantics: The Basic Mechanisms of Thought Detailed discussion on specific issues.

    Lecture Five:

    April 11, Sunday, 9:00 - 11:30 am, Ruxin International Conference Center, BUAA

    Topic: Constructions: The Structure of Grammar A discussion of constructions, beginning with the class of there-constructions in English.

    Lecture Six:

    April 11, Sunday, 2:30 - 5:00 pm, Ruxin International Conference Center, BUAA

    Topic: The Neural Theory of Language All the mechanisms of cognitive linguistics fit together at the neural level. This is an introductory overview of NTL, an introduction to what mirror neuron research contributes to the notion of what a concept is, and an introduction to the theory of cogs.

    Lecture Seven:

    April 13,Tuesday,9:00 - 11:30 am, Lecture Hall 103, TB4, Beijing Normal University.

    Topic: A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor This lecture is about how we can use metaphor "to show how our minds get hold of the world"."The intellectual adventure begun in Metaphors We Live By is here extended with the verve and resourcefulness we'd hoped for"

    Lecture Eight:

    April 13, Tuesday, 2:30 - 5:00 pm, Sir Run Run Shaw Hall, Beijing Foreign Studies University.

    Topic: The Implications for Philosophy How cognitive linguistics changes the idea of what philosophy is.

    Lecture Nine:

    April 14,Wednesday, 2:30 - 5:00 pm, Science Buldg, 207,Peking University.

    Topic: Political Linguistics The application of cognitive linguistics to political analysis in America.

    Lecture Ten:

    April 15, Thursday, 2:30 - 5:00 pm, Tsinghua University.

    Topic: Overview An overall picture of cognitive linguistics, what it means, and where it is going.

    Message 2: Closure of Linguistics at the University of Durham

     Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 07:42:31 -0500 (EST)
    From: S.J. Hannahs <s.j.hannahsdurham.ac.uk>
    Subject: Closure of Linguistics at the University of Durham


    Dear All,

    During the summer of 2003 we posted information to the LinguistList concerning the threatened closure of Linguistics at the University of Durham. Now that the dust has settled, we wanted to take this opportunity to thank the community of linguists for the support and solidarity you have shown us over the intervening months and for the very large number of letters and e-mails sent to university administrators. Your efforts were greatly appreciated.

    The University Executive Committee of the University of Durham did, in the end, decide to close the Department of Linguistics & English Language. The reasons for this decision are still not entirely clear, but appear to be political rather than academic or financial. Four of the linguists affected by this decision, Anders Holmberg, Maggie Tallerman, Martha Young-Scholten and S.J. Hannahs, are being transferred to the School of English Literature, Language & Linguistics of the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, effective from August 2004. The future of our remaining colleagues is uncertain.

    For further information and links to Newcastle's programme please see

    http://www.dur.ac.uk/Linguistics/closure.html