The Sentence in Language and Cognition | National Humanities Center

Work of the Fellows: Monographs

The Sentence in Language and Cognition

By Tista Bagchi (NHC Fellow, 2001–02)

Cognitive Science; Grammar; Syntax; Language

Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2008

From the publisher’s description:

The Sentence in Language and Cognition is about the significant role of the sentence in linguistic cognition and in the practical domains of human existence. Dr. Tista Bagchi has written a comprehensive assessment of the structure and cognitive function of the sentence and the clause in the context of real-world discourse and activities. The notions of sentencehood and clausehood with special reference to the semantic histories of the terms sentence and clause, including their ethical, legal, and administrative uses, are assessed. This is followed by a concise historical survey of the treatment of the sentence in a few of the ancient linguistic traditions, notably the Greek, Roman(-Alexandrian), Arab, and Sanskrit scholastic traditions. A wide variety of sentence types, from a cross-section of languages spoken in Asia, Europe, and the Americas, are presented by way of factual evidence for sentences and clauses as linguistic units. Formally defined notions of the sentence and the clause as syntactic constituents in major theoretical frameworks are examined and assessed for their essential properties and points of convergence. The Sentence in Language and Cognition is an essential book for advanced students and researchers of linguistics.

Subjects
Linguistics / Cognitive Science / Grammar / Syntax / Language /

Bagchi, Tista (NHC Fellow, 2001–02). The Sentence in Language and Cognition. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2008.