APPLIED ASPECTS OF COGNITIVE LINGUISTICS: TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGE GRAMMAR

The aim of this Paper is to relate cognitive to applied linguistics and to show how cognitive grammar can be used in EFL context as a pedagogically effective basis for explicit explanations of target language structures. The past, present and present perfect tense in English will be presented as flexible linguistic means whose choice depends not only on the system of a given language but on the decision of the speaker as well. Their flexibility will be regarded as a reflection of different conceptualizations of the situation. It is our aim to draw attention to the importance of grammatical choice in the process of foreign language acquisition. Although not empirically tested yet, cognitive grammar may prove to be a unique tool in foreign language teaching.