Usage-based approaches to language and language learning: an introduction to the special issue

Abstract

The past several years have brought a steady stream of revelations in psychology, brain science, cognitive science, language learning, and linguistics that underscore the perspective that language, in all its complexity, variability, and systematicity, can largely be accounted for by the language to which humans are exposed. These fi ndings also emphasize the role of humans’ rich, interactive cognitive capacities as key shapers of language, including their strong social proclivities crystalized in the desire to communicate. This research falls under the overarching umbrella of usage-based approaches to language. The central theme is that, given domain-general cognitive capacities, language is constructed from meaningful, contextualized exposure to language and attempts to use it. This special issue presents fi ve papers that originated in the plenary addresses at the 2014 Georgetown University Round Table (GURT). They off er cutting-edge contributions from leaders in the fi eld of usage-based language studies, each of whom represents a distinct perspective. Each author also uses distinct methodology to explore those perspectives. In this Introduction to the special issue, we refl ect on some of the key points of overlap among the contributors, as well as note their unique contributions. Together, the papers address human cognitive sensitivity to frequency and its interaction with pattern fi nding, form–meaning matching, maturational development, and category formation. They help paint a rich picture that allows us to begin to account for humans’ ability to construct language.