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The notion of Categorization
Conceptualization is closely connected with another cognitive process of structuring knowledge – categorization, which is acknowledged to be central to human cognition. Conceptualization is based on the human ability to identify entities as members of groups. Categorization is defined as a mental process of taxonomic activity, regulated presentation of various phenomena classified according to their essential, category characteristics.
Categorization rests on the human ability to identify entities as members of certain groups characterized by some similarities and differences. For example, the members of the category FURNITURE are beds, tables, sofa, chairs, cupboards, wardrobe, armchairs, etc. The category BIRD is presented by various types of birds such as sparrows, swallows, robins, rooks, pigeons, ravens, tomtits, etc. So, categorization accounts for the organization of concepts within the network of encyclopeadic knowledge. It should be noted that the organization of concepts in its turn is reflected in the linguistic organization.
The problem of categorization has a long history. It emerged from the ancient Greek philosophy. Since the time of Aristotle the “classical theory” of categorization had been prevalent in linguistics up till the 1970ths. This theory holds that conceptual and linguistic categories have definitional structure. It means that a category member is supposed to fulfill a set of necessary and jointly sufficient conditions for category memberships (Evans, Green, 2006). In semantics these necessary and sufficient conditions are called primitives or componential features. For example, BACHELOR includes three componential features: “not married”; “male”, “adult”. Only the combination of these features defines the categorical status of the word. Each feature if taken separately, is not sufficient for the category. “Not married” can be both a man and a woman, “male” can be a husband, an uncle, a son. The theory of definitional structure of the meaning has gained wide acknowledgement of linguists.
However, from the cognitive standpoint the definitional approach has some drawbacks, because it is difficult in practice to define a set of conditions (features) sufficient for the category. For example, the most common feature for the category Bird “can fly”, being typical for many types of birds is not peculiar to ostriches and penguins. Besides, according to the classical model of category structure all members of the category are equal. However, the fact is that some members of a category are more representative than others. It means that there are “the best” examples endowed with a set of necessary features. For example, the best features of the category BIRD – it can fly, lays eggs, has a beak, has two wings, two short legs, feathers, it is small and thin, chirps and sings, has a short tail and neck, moves on the ground by hopping. These are the typical features of the bird. However, there are cases, when the bird is deprived of these features. For example, the ostrich, it cannot fly, it is not small and thin, it has long legs, tail and neck, doesn’t sing and chirp.
The cognitive approach to the problem of categorization takes root in the theory of “family resemblance” by Z. Witgenstein (2001). According to this theory, the members of one category can be united into one group on the basis of only some similar features, other features being quite different. Z. Witgenstein drew an analogy with a family, the members of which seem to be alike either in one way or another: in appearance, character, habits, temperament, etc. The author provided an example of the category GAME, including board-games, card-games, ball-games, Olympic games and so on. It is difficult, if possible at all, to find something that is common to all members of the category. Some games are characterized by the feature of “competition” (foot-ball), others by “luck” (card games), still others by “amusement” (computer games). From this it follows that a category needs not have a set of features shared by all the members (Wigenstein, 2001).
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