Empirism and Experiments

Liu+Hui

【Abstract】Over the last decades, Raymond W. Gibbs, a well-known American scholar, has carried out a host of researches in the field of cognitive psycholinguistics. And many of them, such as the study of the relationship between metaphors and idiom comprehension give an extra flavor of empirical approach to cognitive linguistic research paradigm. Specifically, his exploration of empirical research dimension and quantitative approach, for example, the employment of psycholinguistic experiments has shed light on the cognitive linguistic methodology construction----injecting the empirical method into traditional linguistic methodology (i.e. introspection).

【Key words】linguistic research; approach; method

1.Introduction

Cognitive linguists put great emphasis on intuition and introspection and theory construction rather than empirical probe into specific language facts. However, Gibbs (2007) demonstrates that intuition and introspection cannot account for all the specific facts. Moreover, the method observation itself may affect what has been observed (P.3). And adopting empirical approach can get rid of the drawbacks of intuition and introspection to a certain extent. For example, empirical methods and experimentations have already been employed in the field of psycholinguistics and second language acquisition and teaching to explore the relationships between the variables, such as Raising the Achievement of Young-beginner Readers of French through Strategy Instruction and The Poetics of Mind: Figurative Thought, Language, and Understanding instead of relying on the researchers theory derivation and theory analysis. Consequently, empirical methods and experimental techniques help the researchers practice the constructed theories and get better understanding of the underlying truth. In a word, Gibbss research paradigm has fostered the application of available methods into cognitive linguistic methodology and facilitating the combination of different methods.

2.The Psycholinguistic Experiments of Gibbs

Gibbs has carried out a multitude of psycholinguistic experiments, such as Metaphor in Idiom Comprehension and Why Many Concepts are Metaphorical to probe the language-mind interaction. In the research of Metaphor in Idiom Comprehension, Gibbs has tried to examine whether metaphorical thought could play a significant role in people language use. In traditional linguistic researches, to uncover and discover language-mind relationships, such as conceptual metaphors and image schemas, the researchers usually rely on their own intuition and introspection. Nevertheless, the introspection and intuition assist the researcher gaining insights into the human mind and facilitate the theory construction. And introspection the researcher may be biased and subjective. However, the empirical methods and experimental techniques can help the researcher escape from fierce skepticism and scrutiny to a certain extent and thus making the research far more objective and justifiable. While, Gibbss experiments on the subjects language behaviors and response and the data analysis of p-value and F value, at certain degree, trade off the problem of subjectivity and contribute to the objectivity of the research.

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“Quantitative research implies an approach which aims at causal explanation of phenomena through the identification of variables which can be made the basis of experimental investigation” (Jack C. Richards, et al, P561). That is to say, experimental investigation is an indispensible element of the empirical approach for phenomena explanation. In terms of Gibbss experimental investigation, it entails proposing hypotheses, methodology description, carrying out experiments, ruling out or accepting the hypotheses after analyzing the p-value, r-value and F value and listing some possibilities. Correspondingly, the findings of the studies will give rise to further researches. For instance, in the study of Metaphor in Idiom Comprehension, Gibbs has carried out two experiments to explore the role of metaphorical thought play in immediate understanding of figurative language. As a result, the findings “provide important evidence on the constraining role that common patterns of metaphoric thought have in figurative language understanding” (Gibbs, 1997). The experiments make the research findings objective, reliable and replicable and provide the readers with more insights into human cognition via the subjects language behaviors and responses.

3. Discussion on Gibbss Linguistic Research Method

linguists and psychologist can work collaboratively to seek for the underlying truth, since the theories are hollow without experimentation and experiments are blind without theory guidance (Javier Valenzuela& Cristina Soriano, 2005). Through experiments, Gibbs has a direct access to the respondents cognitive processes and has judged the existing theories which are constructed through the researchers introspection. And his empirical methodology is conducive to the objectivity and reliability of the researches. Through the cooperation and collaboration between the cognitive linguists and the psycholinguist, Gibbs, i.e. the interaction of metaphorical thought and peoples immediate idiom comprehension and the metaphorical motivation for idiomatic meaning has been examined. And objective findings have been obtained. It seems that Gibbs has neglected the interface between the cognitive linguistics and psycholinguistics in terms of research methodology. And Gibbss assertion of “cognitive linguists do not need do experiments” may not be justifiable since cognitive linguistics is a great interdisciplinary endeavor and cognitive linguists could also be empirical-approach-oriented (employing experiments and using corpus) when carrying out investigations instead of simply depending on psycholinguists efforts.

Introspection is a good start to the understanding human cognition, but psychological experimentation is necessary, too (Peter Robinson& Nick C. Ellis, 2008). Actually, introspection provides insights into language-mind interaction. However, empirical methods and experimental techniques are indispensible for the studies concerning the outside scrutiny in the light of Gibbss demonstration. And meanwhile, cognitive linguists should care more about the empirical methods.

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4. Concluding Remarks

Gibbs has adopted empirical approach and psychological experiments to examine i.e. metaphorical thought and idiom comprehension connection. And the empirical paradigm and experimental techniques in carrying out investigations provide a more adequate account of language and mind interaction, overcome the subjectivity and contribute to the reliability and objectivity of the researches. Above all, his research approach and method shed light on the cognitive linguistic methodology development, revolutionize the cognitive linguistic methodology to some extent and thus fostering the application of other available methods in the field of cognitive linguistics.

References：

[1]Raymond W. Gibbs. (2007). Why Cognitive Linguists Should Care More about Empirical Methods. In Methods in Cognitive Linguistics. Ithaca: John Benjamins Publishing Company.

[2]Ernesto Macaro & Lynn Erler. (2008). Raising the Achievement of Young-beginner Readers of French through Strategy Instruction. Applied Linguistics. (29/1), 90-119.

[3]Raymond W. Gibbs. (1994). The Poetics of Mind: Figurative Thought, Language, and Understanding. New York: Cambridge University Press.

[4]Raymond W. Gibbs., et al. (1997). Metaphor in Idiom Comprehension. Journal of Memory and Language, (37), 141-154.

[5]Jack C. Richards., et al. (2012). Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics. Beijing: Foreign Langugage Teaching and Research Press.

[6]Javier Valenzuela & Cristina Soriano. (2005). Cognitive Metaphor and Empirical Method. Barcelona Language and Literature Studies, 13.

[7]Peter Robinson &Nick C. Ellis. (2008). Handbook of Cognitive Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition. New York & London: Taylor & Francis Group.

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