TTLA: Semantic development of sensory words in Vietnamese based on empiricism

DOCTORAL THESIS SUMMARY

Author name:Nguyen Thi Hanh Phuong

Thesis title:Semantic development of sensory words in Vietnamese based on empiricism

Dissertation field: Linguistics

Major: Linguistics Code: 62.22.02.40

Name of postgraduate training unit: University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi

1. Purpose and research objects of the thesis

The purpose of the thesis is to use the embodiment theory of cognitive linguistics as a basis for explaining the semantic development of words on the corpus of sensory words in Vietnamese. Thereby, the thesis aims to contribute more voices to affirm the semantic explanation capacity of cognitive linguistics - a new approach that is receiving special attention today.

The research object of the thesis is the semantic development of sensory words in Vietnamese based on embodiment.

2. Research methods used

- Statistical and classification methods; Descriptive methods

- Sociological investigation method; Semantic analysis method along with conceptual analysis and introspection techniques are typical of cognitive linguistics.

- Comparison and contrast method

3. Main results and conclusions

3.1. Main results

- The thesis has established basic theoretical premises related to the research object; the concept of embodiment as well as the concept of sensory words in Vietnamese.

- The thesis has classified the category of sensory words into 13 subgroups, built a set of criteria to determine the typical examples of each subgroup, objectively described the semantics of typical sensory words in the dictionary, and described their rich semantic expressions in daily life.

- The thesis also analyzed and interpreted the embodied basis associated with the semantic development of sensory words in Vietnamese; modeled their semantic development through the semantic network represented by the conceptual radiating diagram; pointed out some cultural and thinking features of Vietnamese people based on comparison with equivalent sensory words in English.

3.2. Main conclusions

- Sensual words are an important conceptual category in the human conceptual system; the semantic development of sensory words is essentially a conceptualization process taking place in human thinking and mind. It is a process of semantic expansion, going from the sensory source domain to many different target domains, typically the sensory transformation domain and the psychological and emotional domain.

- The semantic development of sensory words is embodied. It is the physical, biological, social, cultural experiences of humans through the sensory system that activate the thinking mind, which is the foundation for unlimited semantic constructions. That semantic expansion creates networks of radiating ideas with the original idea (central archetype) and the developing ideas (developing meaning).

- The results of describing and interpreting on the basis of embodied experience the semantic development of sensory words clearly show that semantics is not arbitrary, not genetic but the result of thinking based on the experience of interaction between the body and the world. In which, the senses themselves play the role of starting, activating and storing authentic experiences in the process of creating associations through ADYN and HDYN.

- The embodiment theory of cognitive linguistics helps explain many semantic phenomena in language that we cannot explain if we only follow the traditional concept. There, language plays the role of a form of sound material (or writing) that actualizes thinking and perception, and language is the door that helps us to approach and explain the spiritual world and mind of humans. By applying the embodiment theory to study the semantic development of sensory words, the thesis has thus contributed to proving and affirming the semantic explanation capacity of cognitive linguistics as a tool to explore the depth of human thinking, mind and spirit.

SUMMARY OF DISSERTATION

Ph.D candidate's name: Nguyen Thi Hanh Phuong

Dissertation title: The semantic development of sensory words in Vietnamese language on the basis of embodiment

Major: Linguistics

Sub-major: Theoretical Linguistics Code: 62.22.02.40

Training institution: University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi

1. The purpose and research object of the disertation

The thesis is aimed at using the embodiment of cognitive linguistics as the basis for the development of the semantics of words in the Vietnamese linguistic data of sensation. The research, thereby, would contribute to asserting the semantic interpretation of cognitive linguistics - a new approach that has been paid much attention in recent years.

The research object of the thesis is the semantic development of sensory words in Vietnamese language on the basis of embodiment.

2. Research methodologies

- Statistical, classification methods; Descriptive method

- Sociological survey method; Method of semantic analysis along with conceptual analysis, and introspection, which characterizes cognitive linguistics

- Method of comparison and contrast

3. Major findings and conclusions

3.1. Major findings

- The thesis has established basic theoretical premises related to the research object; the concept of embodiment as well as the concept of sensory words in Vietnamese language.

- The thesis has divided the sensory vocabulary into 13 sub-groups; developed a set of prototype criteria for each subgroup; described the semantics of sensory words in dictionary, and their rich semantic expressions in everyday life.

- The thesis has also analyzed and interpreted the embodiment bases of semantic development of sensory words in Vietnamese language; modeled their semantic developments through the semantic network represented by a radial categories diagram; points out some of the cultural thoughts of the Vietnamese people on the basis of comparison with the equivalent sensory words in English language.

3.2. Conclusions

- Sensory words belong to conceptual categories that are important in the human conceptual system. The semantic development of the sensory vocabulary is essentially a process of conceptualization that takes place in human minds and thoughts. It is the process of meaning extension from the source domain of conceptual sensory to different target domains, typically the domain of sensory transformation and the domain of psychological emotion.

- The semantic development of sensory vocabulary is of embodiment. It is the physical, biological, social and cultural experience of human beings through the sensory system that activates human thinking, which is the basis for unlimited conceptual creativity. This meaning extension enables the networks of radial categories as well as the original prototypes and concepts to develop.

- The results of the description, interpretation based on the embodiment development of the sensory vocabulary show that semantics is not arbitrary, not genetic, but the results of thinking based on the experience of interaction between the body and the world, in which emotions play a role of initiating, activating and maintaining the true experience in the process of conceptual metaphor and conceptual metonymy.

- On the basis of cognitive linguistics embodiment, we can explain many semantic phenomena in language the traditional sense that could not be done under traditional perspectives. Herein, language plays the role as the sonic material (script) that realisticizes thinking; an important point of view that enables us to approach and interpret the spiritual world of human beings. By applying the theory of embodiment to study the semantic development of sensory words, the thesis has contributed to proving and asserting the semantic interpretation of in-depth mental thought in cognitive linguistics.