Introducing Language and Cognition: A Map of the Mind

Description

In this accessible introduction, Mike Sharwood Smith provides a working model or 'map' of the mind, with language as its centrepiece. Drawing on cutting-edge research across linguistics, psychology and neuroscience, it allows students to quickly grasp how each separate aspect of the mind's operations can be related. This 'big picture' view includes the way the mind makes, stores and loses memories of all kinds as well how its various 'expert systems' combine and collaborate to solve, typically beyond our conscious awareness, the myriad of tasks we are faced with every minute and millisecond of our existence. The book also focuses on language, that is, the mind of monolingual, bilingual and multilingual speakers. It will be of interest to all students wishing to learn more about the complex relationship between language - one of the most important ways in which we define ourselves as human - and the mind. Frontmatter Dedication Contents Figures Preface Annotated Abbreviations Introduction PART I - Mechanisms of the Mind 1 - The Basic Design 2 - Perception 3 - Motion 4 - Meaning 5 - Affect 6 - Memory, Processing and Activation 7 - Consciousness and Attention 8 - Developing Knowledge and Ability PART II - Language(s) in the Mind 9 - Defining Language 10 - The Core System 11 - Language beyond the Core 12 - TwoWays of Knowing a Language 13 - Language and Affect 14 - Language Development in the Monolingual 15 - Becoming Multilingual Conclusion Glossary References Index