D. U. Ashurova m. R. Galieva cognitive linguistics

Prototype Theory

Further, the problem of categorization was viewed within the framework of prototype theory developed by Eleanor Rosch. This research has given a new insight into human categorization. E. Rosch (1975, 1978, 1999) suggests that categorization proceeds not by means of the necessary and sufficient conditions, as the classical theory proclaimed, but with reference to a prototype. The prototype is defined as “a relatively abstract mental representation that assembles the key attributes or features that best represent instances of a given category” (Rosch, 1978). In other words, the prototype is “a schematic representation of the most salient or central characteristics” associated with a member of the category in question. Not all members of a category have the same status within the category, some category members are better examples of the category than others. They are considered to be the most central or prototypical members of the category. The centrality of the category member depends on how many of the relevant set of features it possesses: the more features it possesses, the better an example of the category it will be. Categories are combined into the categorization system within which they are characterized by the relations of inclusiveness. For example:

vehicle – car – sports car
furniture – table – card-table
animal – dog – bulldog
fruit – apple – granny Smith
animal – bird – raven
peanut – tree – oak tree
So, categories are distinguished according to the level of inclusiveness. The category FRUIT is more inclusive than APPLE. Besides APPLE it includes other fruits: plum, peach, pear, etc. It is the most inclusive level. The category CARD-TABLE is the least inclusive level. From this viewpoint the following levels of inclusiveness are differentiated: superordinate (the most inclusive level), subordinate (the least inclusive level) and the basic level which is between the most inclusive and the least inclusive levels. In the above-given examples VEHICLE, FURNITURE, ANIMAL, FRUIT belong to the superordinate level, CAR, TABLE, DOG, APPLE, BIRD – the basic level, SALOON, Card-table, bulldog, granny smith, raven – to the subordinate level. The basic level has a special status and importance. It is characterized by a number of specific features. From the linguistic point of view, the basic level terms are monolexemic: they are expressed by a single word, usually concrete nouns – apple, tree, dog, car, table, etc. The basic level terms occur more frequently in language use. In terms of perception the basic level categories are recognized more easily and rapidly because they easily form a mental image. For instance, it is easy to form a mental image of a “chair” or “table”, but difficult to form an image of “furniture”.
From the cognitive perspective the basic level categories represent the most informative and salient level of cateforization. It is accounted for by the fact that the basic level categories share the largest number of attributes. For instance, the category HORSE is characterized by such attributes as: can be ridden, neighs, has bones, breathes, has a mare, has a long tail. From the point of view of language acquisition the basic level terms are among the first to be studied by children and foreign language learners.
The superordinate categories also have some specific features. Linguistically, terms of the superordinate categories are often uncountable nouns whereas the basic level terms are count nouns. To illustrate this assumption the following examples can be given: