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Constructions of contrast in spoken testimonials on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Hartman, Jenny LU (2018) In Language and Cognition 10(1). p.83-109
Abstract

Spoken testimonials on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) constitute the data for this study, which considers contrastive construal as evoked by conditional constructions (if, unless, what if) and antonymous uses of lexical items (bad-good, guilt-innocence). Unlike conditional language use for the expression of hypothetical scenarios, doubt, and catastrophizing, antonyms have not been a focus of OCD research. In the data, antonymous lexical items establish experiential dichotomies (e.g., good-bad, guilt-innocence, cause-prevent) that reinforce and specify the nature of evoked contrast. Meaning making in the data, it is proposed, evokes contrastive construal according to bundles of integrated quality dimensions such as modality,... (More)

Spoken testimonials on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) constitute the data for this study, which considers contrastive construal as evoked by conditional constructions (if, unless, what if) and antonymous uses of lexical items (bad-good, guilt-innocence). Unlike conditional language use for the expression of hypothetical scenarios, doubt, and catastrophizing, antonyms have not been a focus of OCD research. In the data, antonymous lexical items establish experiential dichotomies (e.g., good-bad, guilt-innocence, cause-prevent) that reinforce and specify the nature of evoked contrast. Meaning making in the data, it is proposed, evokes contrastive construal according to bundles of integrated quality dimensions such as modality, morality, and emotion that make up incompatible conceptions of reality. Tied to contrast in the data is also the notion of balance, and contrast is considered alongside force-dynamic actions that are experienced as effecting balance. While the overriding concerns for the study are linguistic-conceptual, the study's findings can have implications for research on OCD and a cognitive semantic perspective can potentially complement both content- and process-oriented psychological approaches to this disorder.

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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
antonyms, conditional constructions, contrastive construal, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
in
Language and Cognition
volume
10
issue
1
pages
27 pages
publisher
Cambridge University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85044301747
ISSN
1866-9859
DOI
10.1017/langcog.2017.18
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d789067f-1396-445a-84de-0c99efb4c5df
date added to LUP
2017-08-29 16:46:04
date last changed
2022-04-01 19:02:57
@article{d789067f-1396-445a-84de-0c99efb4c5df,
  abstract     = {{<p>Spoken testimonials on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) constitute the data for this study, which considers contrastive construal as evoked by conditional constructions (if, unless, what if) and antonymous uses of lexical items (bad-good, guilt-innocence). Unlike conditional language use for the expression of hypothetical scenarios, doubt, and catastrophizing, antonyms have not been a focus of OCD research. In the data, antonymous lexical items establish experiential dichotomies (e.g., good-bad, guilt-innocence, cause-prevent) that reinforce and specify the nature of evoked contrast. Meaning making in the data, it is proposed, evokes contrastive construal according to bundles of integrated quality dimensions such as modality, morality, and emotion that make up incompatible conceptions of reality. Tied to contrast in the data is also the notion of balance, and contrast is considered alongside force-dynamic actions that are experienced as effecting balance. While the overriding concerns for the study are linguistic-conceptual, the study's findings can have implications for research on OCD and a cognitive semantic perspective can potentially complement both content- and process-oriented psychological approaches to this disorder.</p>}},
  author       = {{Hartman, Jenny}},
  issn         = {{1866-9859}},
  keywords     = {{antonyms; conditional constructions; contrastive construal; Obsessive Compulsive Disorder}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{83--109}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  series       = {{Language and Cognition}},
  title        = {{Constructions of contrast in spoken testimonials on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/langcog.2017.18}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/langcog.2017.18}},
  volume       = {{10}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}