ABSTRACT

The cognitive dimension within media language research is seen as constituting part of a systemic (critical) account of media, complementing existing and emergent linguistic, social and communication frameworks (see Sections 5.3 and 5.4; also van Dijk 1985; Cotter 2001; O’Halloran 2003; Chilton 2004, 2005a; Wodak 2013; Hart 2010; Hart and Cap 2014). Cognitive approaches to the exploration of language and media and their interaction primarily presuppose an analysis of media discourse from the cognitive linguistics perspective, especially at the micro-level of social order. Such studies also employ theoretical and methodological frameworks that are cognitive science-based to account for the cognitive dimension in understanding media language. This chapter will highlight these cognitive approaches, show how they operate within other frameworks, and detail their interdisciplinary history and potential.