Language is rarely a neutral medium. Whereas we often treat words as simple labels for an existing world, the way we frame a sentence or categorize an idea can fundamentally alter how a listener perceives reality. This subtle architecture of meaning is the focus of a new academic offering from the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (UNCUYO), designed to pull back the curtain on how discourse shapes human ideology.
The course, Análisis del discurso desde el enfoque cognitivo (Discourse Analysis from a Cognitive Approach), moves beyond traditional grammar to explore the intersection of linguistics, evolutionary biology and social philosophy. By examining how the human mind processes information, the program aims to provide participants with a systematic toolkit to deconstruct the texts that govern our social and institutional lives.
Organized by JELing, the “Joan Corominas” Institute of Linguistics, and the Secretary of University Extension of the Facultad de Filosofía y Letras (FFyL) at UNCUYO, the curriculum treats language not merely as a system of signs, but as a sophisticated cultural artifact. The goal is to move from a passive reading of texts to an active, empirical analysis of how persuasion and ideology are embedded in the very structure of communication.
From Evolutionary Biology to Social Reality
To understand how a political speech or a legal document can shift public perception, the course argues that one must first understand the biological origins of communication. The program draws heavily on the work of Michael Tomasello, a leading figure in evolutionary psychology, specifically his theories on joint attention and shared intentionality.
According to this framework, human language evolved from our unique capacity to coordinate attention with others toward a common object or goal. This “joint attention” is the bedrock of human cooperation and, by extension, the foundation of all complex discourse. When we speak, we are not just transmitting data. we are attempting to align our mental states with those of our interlocutor.
This cognitive foundation then bridges into the social ontology of philosopher John Searle. The course explores the distinction between ontological subjectivity—things that exist only since humans agree they exist—and epistemic objectivity. For example, a mountain exists regardless of human belief (ontologically objective), but a “border” or a “currency” exists only because of collective human agreement (ontologically subjective).
The program emphasizes that discourse is the primary mechanism used to validate these “institutional facts.” By treating subjective agreements as objective realities through language, societies are able to maintain stability, law, and social hierarchies. Understanding this distinction allows analysts to identify where a text is presenting a social construct as an immutable truth.
The Mechanics of ‘Construal’ and Perception
A central pillar of the course is the methodology developed by Christopher Hart regarding “construal,” or the process of conceptualization. In cognitive linguistics, construal refers to the way a speaker chooses to “set the scene” for the listener. Because a single event can be described in infinite ways, the choice of description is never accidental; it is a tool of direction.
The course trains participants to recognize specific operations of construal, including:
- Categorization: How the grouping of people or ideas into specific categories pre-determines the emotional or logical response of the receiver.
- Attention Direction: The subtle act of highlighting certain details while omitting others to guide the listener’s focus.
- Perspective Taking: How the “vantage point” of a narrative changes the perceived agency or responsibility of the actors involved.
- Force Schemas: The use of language to imply pressure, resistance, or inevitability in social or political contexts.
By mastering these tools, students can move beyond “gut feelings” about a text’s bias and instead provide empirical evidence of how a specific linguistic choice guides the receptor toward a particular ideological conclusion.
Course Structure and Accessibility
The program is designed for a diverse audience, ranging from academic specialists to the general public. To accommodate different schedules and learning styles, the course integrates asynchronous practice through the Moodle platform and email, allowing participants to submit their final discourse analysis for professional feedback in a virtual environment.
The curriculum is structured around five primary objectives: mastering the socio-cognitive foundations of language, recognizing the role of discourse in maintaining social reality, distinguishing between different types of objectivity and subjectivity, applying Hart’s construal model, and finally, deconstructing a real-world corpus of texts.
Registration is currently open via the university’s self-management portal. The fee structure is tiered to ensure accessibility for students and academic staff while remaining open to the broader community.
| Participant Category | Fee (ARS) |
|---|---|
| Students, Alumni, Teachers, and Academic Support Staff | $12,000 |
| JELing Conference Attendees | $12,000 |
| General Public | $50,000 |
Interested parties can complete their registration through the official portal: https://autogestion.ffyl.uncu.edu.ar/eu.
As the digital landscape continues to be flooded with algorithmic content and sophisticated misinformation, the ability to analytically dismantle discourse becomes a critical civic skill. By blending evolutionary psychology with linguistic rigor, this program offers a way to understand not just what is being said, but how the saying of it shapes the world we inhabit.
Prospective students are encouraged to monitor the FFyL UNCUYO extension portal for updates on start dates and specific module schedules. We invite you to share this opportunity with colleagues and educators interested in the intersection of mind and language.
