SFB 833: Emergence of Meaning: The Dynamics and Adaptivity of Linguistic Structures

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How does the meaning of linguistic expressions arise? This is the central research question of the SFB 833 'The Construction of Meaning. The Dynamics and Adaptivity of Linguistic Structures.'Focusing on the fact that meaning emerges as a function of time and situation, the SFB’s joint re-search goal is a better understanding of linguistic meaning and its dynamic adaptation to the various factors that impact on it. The central question of how meaning arises is investigated (a) in context, (b) during cognitive processing, and (c) according to the grammars of individual languages. Our research program is an interdisciplinary one, and accordingly the SFB 833 is a joint project includ-ing linguists – theoretical linguists, specialists in particular languages and computational linguists – as well as cognitive scientists and literary scholars. Traditionally, linguists have focused on the structural aspects of the language system while cognitive scientists have concentrated on language related processes. Investigating the construction of meaning opens the door to a more integrated view of structure and process. This, we believe, is essential for a more realistic investigation and interpreta-tion of language data. It is part of our general vision of integrated empirical and theoretical research. The SFB 833 uses diverse types of empirical evidence (corpus data, questionnaires, psycho- and neurolinguistic experiments, crosslinguistic and diachronic studies) to contribute towards a theory of the construction of meaning.