A Cognitive Functional Model Of Location Clauses

Neurocognitive Linguistics, the predecessor of which is Stratificational Grammar, is one of the important linguistic schools originated in USA in 1960's. Lamb, the originator, plays an important role in the development of this theory. He treats linguistic system as a relational network, and creates the relational network graphs to highly formalize the theoretical model; meanwhile, he argues the correspondent relationship between the theoretical model and the neural facts as well as the relationship between the model and computer program. Based on the whole-hearted study of Neurocognitive Linguistics, and with reference to Systemic Functional Grammar, Cognitive Linguistics, Frame Semantics and Construction Grammar, Professor Cheng Qilong proposes Cognitive Functional Model of Clauses.Cognitive Functional Model, which is a semiotic relational model, aims at formulating and interpreting the semiotic relationship between content and expression. This mode] is concerned with the structures in conceptual stratum, semantic stratum, lexico-grammatical stratum, etc., as well as their realizational relationships among these strata.Based on the theory of Neurocognitive Linguistics and under the framework of Cognitive Functional Model, this thesis, applying three methods, namely, analysis, catalysis and testing, attempts to construct the cognitive functional model of location clauses. First, it analyzes the conceptual structures and syntactic structures as well as their realizational relationships within the model; Second, by means of catalysis, it generalizes the cognitive functional model of location clauses which contains the conceptual structure and syntactic structure with their realizational relationships; thereafter, in the light of Lamb's graphs, it draws the relational network graphs to manifest the cognitive functional model of location clauses; Last, it tests the operational validity and neurological plausibility of this cognitive functional model through computer program compiled by Language C.