A Proverb in Mind: The Cognitive Science of Proverbial Wit and Wisdom - Hardcover

Honeck, Richard P.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0805802312 ISBN 13: 9780805802313

Publisher: Psychology Press, 1997

Synopsis

SEE SHORT BLURB FOR ALTERNATE COPY... A complex, intriguing, and important verbal entity, the proverb has been the subject of a vast number of opinions, studies, and analyses. To accommodate the assorted possible audiences, this volume outlines seven views of the proverb -- personal, formal, religious, literary, practical, cultural, and cognitive. Because the author's goal is to provide a scientific understanding of proverb comprehension and production, he draws largely on scholarship stemming from the formal, cultural, and cognitive views.

The only book about proverbs that is written from the standpoint of cognitive science, cognitive psychology, and experimentalism, this text provides a larger, more interdisciplinary perspective on the proverb. It also gives a theoretically more integrated approach to proverb cognition. The conceptual base theory of proverb comprehension is extended via the "cognitive ideals hypothesis" so that the theory now addresses issues regarding the creation, production, and pragmatics of proverbs. This hypothesis also has strong implications for a taxonomy of proverbs, proverb comprehension, universal vs. culture-specific aspects of proverbs, and some structural aspects of proverbs.

In general, the book extends the challenge of proverb cognition by using much of what cognitive science has to offer. In so doing, the proverb is compared to other forms of figurative language, which is then discussed within the larger rubric of intelligence and the inclination for using indirect modes of communication. Child developmental and brain substrates are also discussed.

About this title

Review

'Uncertain Masculinities explores the complex and diverse interplay between ethnicity, class and gender by interviewing students from four London Schools. The study by O'Donnell and Sharpe highlights the complex nature of this interplay amongst youth culture both in and out of school. Those involved in managing schools should find the study both interesting and useful as it quite clearly shows that there is no quick fix to organising a successful learning experience for boys: it takes time, understanding and a recognition of their diverse backgrounds. - Phillip Snell, Head Teacher, Kingsbury High School

Synopsis

The proverb has been the subject of a vast number of opinions, studies and analyses. To accommodate the assorted possible audiences, this volume outlines seven views of the proverb - personal, formal, religious, literary, practical, cultural and cognitive. Because the author's goal is to provide a scientific understanding of proverb comprehension and production, he draws largely on scholarship stemming from the formal, cultural and cognitive views. This text attempts to provide a larger, more interdisciplinary perspective on the proverb, and to give a theoretically more integrated approach to proverb cognition. The conceptual base theory of proverb comprehension is extended via the "cognitive ideas hypothesis" so that the theory now addresses issues regarding the creation, production and pragmatics of proverbs. This hypothesis also has strong implications for a taxonomy of proverbs, proverb comprehension, universal vs. culture-specific aspects of proverbs, and some structural aspects of proverbs. In general, the book extends the challenge of proverb cognition by using much of what cognitive science has to offer.

In so doing, the proverb is compared to other forms of figurative language, which is then discussed within the larger rubric of intelligence and the inclination for using indirect modes of communication. Child developmental and brain substrates are also discussed.

Edition details

• Publisher: Psychology Press
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0805802312
• ISBN 13: 9780805802313
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 318