The Role of Language and Pragmatics in Conceptual Abstraction

How do people structure their conceptual world using language? Conceptual hierarchies (dalmatian, dog, animal) range from subordinate (dalmatian) to superordinate concepts (dog). This dissertation examines the abstraction process involved in forming and communicating such concepts and presents four case studies. New experimental methods and computer-based modeling are combined to address the question of what role linguistic interaction and meaning-making in context play in conceptual abstraction. The main finding is that the interplay of cognitive and communicative needs of interlocutors shapes concrete linguistic interactions as well as the linguistic evolution of conceptual hierarchies.