Center for Semiotik | Center for Semiotics

Research Methods (MA II)

Mikkel Wallentin | Tuesdays in semoinar weeks, 9:15 - 11:00. Location to be announced

This course serves as an introduction to the methods used when studying cognition empirically with an emphasis on studies of language processing. What are the requirements for a good behavioral study and to what extent can these requirements be said to apply to neuroimaging studies? The course also covers an ultra-brief introduction to statistics used for data description and hypothesis-testing, including t-tests, chi-square tests and correlation analysis. These tools are applied to data obtained from practical exercises and by the end of the course the students conduct and analyze their own behavioral experiment. The course also includes a demonstration of equipment used in neuroimaging experiments.

Cognitive Semantics (MA I)

Svend Østergaard | Tuesdays in seminar weeks, 11:15 - 13:00. Location to be announced

In the course “Cognitive Semantics” the student is presented with theories of meaning such as frame semantics, schema theory, blending theory, and construction grammar. These theories are used partly to account for word meaning, including categorization and metaphor theory, and partly to account for syntactic structure. Besides, the students will be presented with theories of pragmatics which concerns the functional and social aspects of language. Finally, we will also discuss the possible relations between language and other cognitive functions such as memory, perception, attention, and pattern recognition.
The main text books are Croft/Cruise: Cognitive Linguistics and Dirven/Verspoor: Cognitive Exploration of Language and Linguistics. Besides we will use texts and articles written by George Lakoff, Len Talmy, William Croft, Adele Goldberg, René Dirven, Michael Tomasello and Mark Turner.

Cognition and Language (BA)

Svend Østergaard | Tuesdays in seminar weeks, 14:15 - 17:00. Location to be announced

The text books relevant for this course are Dirven/Verspoor: Cognitive Exploration of language and Linguistics, Ungerer/Schmid: An Introduction to Cognitive Linguistics, Tomasello: The Cultural Origins of Human Cognition, Tomasello: Origins of human communication, and various articles on perception, language, communication and symbolization. The first part deals with cognitive linguistics and there will be a presentation of frame semantics, categorization, word meanings and schematization. The second part deals with the interplay between language and other cognitive functions. There will be a presentation of a theory of perception put forward by Jeannerod/Jacob; besides we will discuss language acquisition, imitation, mirror neurons, theory of mind, the emergence of symbolization, the role of language in the development of cognitive skills and a theory about the emergence of human communication will be presented.

Cognition and Semiotics (MA I)

Peer Bundgård | Wednesdays in seminar weeks, 9:15 - 11:00. Location to be announced

The course on semiotics and cognition has a double scope: introduces to basic concepts in cognitive semiotics: metaphor, blending, frame, schema, conceptual structure and generally the relation between perception, conceptualization and linguistic expression. Key authors are, among others, George Lakoff, Mark Johnson, Jean Mandler, Charles Fillmore, Gilles Fauconnier and Mark Turner. On the other hand, it aims to further insight into general discussions within the cognitive sciences and philosphy of mind about topics such as “what are representations?”, “must representations be conscious?”, “how is the perceptual connected to the conceptual system?”, “how do concepts emerge in the conceptual system?”.

Social Cognition (MA I)

Svend Østergaard & Kristian Tylén | Wednesdays in seminar weeks, 11:15 - 13:00. Location to be announced

In this course we will investigate the social cognitive foundations of our species-specific semiotic capacities. Taking the point of departure mainly in recent empirical investigations within the fields of developmental and experimental psychology, primatology, intersubjectivity research and cognitive neuroscience, we will pursue the following questions: what sorts of cognitive capacities are necessary in order to develop the complex social organization characteristic of human culture and society? what sorts of cognitive capacities are necessary in order for language to evolve? what is the impact of language on cognition and social dynamics? In an attempt to answer these questions theories of imitation, empathy, mirror neurons, child development, theory of mind, language acquisition etc. will be presented. The literature will mainly consist of articles, but recommended background literature includes Tomasello, M. (2008) Origins of Human Communication, MIT Press, and Zlatev, Racine, Sinha and Itkonen (eds.) (2008) The Shared Mind: perspectives on intersubjectivity, John Benjamins Publishing Company

Practical Exercises (BA)

Svend Østergaard & Peer Bundgård | Wednesdays in seminar weeks, 14:15 - 16:00. Location to be announced

In the practical exercises the students will apply the methods and concepts from Cognition and Semiotics and Cognitive Semantics on concrete analyses of texts and images. Also, in the non seminar weeks they will have to prepare papers on theoretical issues presented by the teachers. The work will be done in groups and the papers are presented at the practical exercises.

Peirce’s semiotics (BA/MA)

Frederik Stjernfelt | Wednesdays in seminar weeks, 16:15 - 18:00. Location to be announced

There is an increasing interest in Charles Peirce's semiotics. Widespread distinctions like type-token and icon-index-symbol stem, of course, from his semiotics, even if often in half-understood versions. Peirce's semiotics is the first comprehensive doctrine which firmly connects semiotics to logc and cognition. Due to Peirce's many unpublished papers, the research in his doctrine is still in the process. This course intrduces and discusses central terms in his semiotic doctrine, such as iconicity, perceptual judgment, diagrammatical reasoning, Dicisigns (propositions), the corollarial/theorematic distinction, the semiotics-logic connection, "Existential Graphs", abduction-deduction-induction etc..

Cognition and Semiotics (BA)

Peer Bundgård | Thursdays in seminar weeks, 9:15 - 12:00. Location to be announced

The course on semiotics and cognition introduces to basic concepts in cognitive semiotics: metaphor, blending, frame, schema, conceptual structure and generally the relation between perception, conceptualization and linguistic expression. Key authors are, among others, George Lakoff, Mark Johnson, Jean Mandler, Gilles Fauconnier and Mark Turner.

Practical Exercises (MA I)

Svend Østergaard & Peer Bundgård | Thursdays in seminar weeks, 12:15 - 14:00. Location to be announced

Research Seminar (BA/MA)

Frederik Stjernfelt, Peer Bundgård & Svend Østergaard | Thursdays in seminar weeks, 16:15 - 18:00. Location to be announced

Center researchers present new ideas and draft papers in an informal way, open to discussion by other scholars and students. This also forms the forum for presenting guest lecturers by international and Danish visiting scholars fueling further discussion.

Literary Art

Peer Bundgård | Fridays in seminar weeks, 10:15 - 12:00. Location to be announced

In this course we will be working with textual aesthetics, i.e. the forms and structures of meaning construction in literary artworks. We will consider essential meaning making devices in literary art, defined as variations of/experiments with core properties of narratives such as "the narrator", "perspective/focalization", "narrative structure", "granularity", etc. The methodology applied here is formally the same as the one used in the course on Visual Art: what we aim at is determining those tools with which authors produce meaning effects.

Student Symposia

Organized by the students | Fridays in seminar weeks, 13:15 - 15:00. Location to be announced

The Friday symposia offer the students the opportunity to present their current research interests within the diverse field of Cognitive Semiotics, and hereby try themselves on an oral presentation among fellow students. With issues ranging from Cognitive Semantics, Interface Design, Visual Art and Musicology, to Cognitive Psychology, Neuropsychology, Neurolinguistics and Neuroaesthetics, the Student Symposia always give rise to fruitful discussions triggered by the application of theory to real-life phenomena. Through open discussions, the students are here allowed to share their research interests, readjust their theoretical focus and, most importantly, develop new ideas for future papers.