The prototype structure of concept drift

KU Leuven (Belgium)

Objectives: Linguistic diachronic semantics as developed in Cognitive Linguistics has highlighted the relevance of prototype effects in changes of lexical meaning. The views recently put forward by historians on the structure and evolution of historical concepts (viz. Kuukkanen’s seminal work) resemble linguistic prototype theory, but the similarity has not been made explicit, nor has it been systematically explored. Ángela will: 1) document the theoretical relationship (similarities and differences) between historians’ accounts of the structure of political and social concepts and linguistic prototype theory; 2) apply and evaluate tools developed for linguistic diachronic semantics in the service of humanities questions about conceptual change; 3) recommend best practice and/or adaptations for using methods based on linguistic prototype theory for humanities research questions. Ángela will work primarily with the Digitale Bibliotheek voor de Nederlandse Letteren (DBNL) and Delpher (Dutch National Library collections of newspapers and magazines). 

Expected Results Include: 
1) A model of the structure and evolution of historical concepts in relation to Prototype Theory, including ways in which Prototype Theory can and cannot account for historical conceptual change.
2) A theoretical link between linguistic semantics and the history of concepts.
3) Best practice recommendations for applying linguistic prototype theory to concept history. Ángela will present research at D7.2, D7.4. 

Planned secondments: VARIENG (2 months, Year 3; understanding research design for studying language variation and change). Also visiting: UHELSINKI (history of ideas)