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Embodiment, language and mimesis

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Author

Editor

  • Tom Ziemke
  • Jordan Zlatev
  • Roslyn Franck

Summary, in English

The present focus on embodiment in cognitive science undervalues concepts such as convention/norm, representation and consciousness. I argue that these concepts constitute essential properties of language, and this makes it problematic for “embodiment theories” to account for human language and cognition. These difficulties are illustrated by examining a particular, highly influential approach to embodied cognition, that of Lakoff and Johnson (1999), and exposing the problematic character of the notion of the “cognitive unconscious”. To attempt a reconciliation between embodiment and language, I turn to the concept of (bodily) mimesis, and propose the notion of mimetic schema as a mediator between the individual human body and collective language.

Publishing year

2007

Language

English

Pages

297-337

Publication/Series

Body, Language, Mind. Vol 1: Embodiment

Document type

Book chapter

Publisher

Mouton de Gruyter

Topic

  • General Language Studies and Linguistics

Keywords

  • consciousness
  • bodily mimesis
  • conventions
  • mimetic schemas
  • representation

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1861-4132