Linguoculture as a System of Cultural Coding: The Role of Syntax in Meaning Construction

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.69760/portuni.26060010

Keywords:

Linguoculture, cultural coding, syntax, meaning construction, linguistic worldview, linguocultural studies, discourse, cognitive linguistics

Abstract

This article examines linguoculture as a complex system of cultural coding that facilitates the transmission, preservation, and interpretation of collective experience through linguistic means. Particular attention is devoted to syntax as one of the key mechanisms involved in the construction of meaning during verbal communication. Unlike traditional approaches that regard syntax primarily as a set of rules governing the organization of linguistic units, the present study analyzes it as a tool for representing culturally significant information. The article demonstrates that syntactic structures are capable of reflecting the distinctive features of a nation’s worldview, the value orientations of a linguistic community, and specific models of conceptualizing reality. Drawing upon contemporary achievements in linguocultural studies, cognitive linguistics, and discourse theory, the study substantiates the view that meaning is constructed not only at the lexical level but also through the syntactic organization of utterances. The research shows that the choice of word order, information structure devices, expressive syntactic constructions, and other syntactic mechanisms is determined not only by communicative objectives but also by cultural factors. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of the interaction between language and culture and reveal new dimensions of syntax’s involvement in the processes of meaning-making.

Author Biography

  • Vafa Abdullayeva-Nabiyeva , Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), Baku, Azerbaijan

    Vafa Abdullayeva-Nabiyeva is a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Philology and Associate Professor, and Head of the Department of International Relations at the Institute of Linguistics named after Nasimi, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), Baku, Azerbaijan. Her research interests include linguocultural studies, cognitive linguistics, syntax, and discourse analysis.

    https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8740-4830

    Email: vefa.abdulla@gmail.com

References

Baicchi, A., & Broccias, C. (Eds.). (2024). Constructional and cognitive explorations of contrastive linguistics. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-46602-1

Boleda, G. (2019). Distributional semantics and linguistic theory. Annual Review of Linguistics, 6, 213–234.

Chomsky, N. (1965). Aspects of the theory of syntax. MIT Press.

Croft, W. (2001). Radical construction grammar. Oxford University Press.

Evans, V. (2019). Cognitive linguistics: A complete guide. Edinburgh University Press.

Fauconnier, G., & Turner, M. (2002). The way we think: Conceptual blending and the mind’s hidden complexities. Basic Books.

Fillmore, C. J. (1982). Frame semantics. In Linguistics in the morning calm (pp. 111–137). Hanshin Publishing.

Goddard, C. (2021). Minimal English for a global world: Improved communication using fewer words. Palgrave Macmillan.

Halliday, M. A. K. (1994). An introduction to functional grammar (2nd ed.). Edward Arnold.

Hart, C. (2021). Critical discourse analysis and cognitive science: New perspectives on discourse studies. Palgrave Macmillan.

Hymes, D. (1974). Foundations in sociolinguistics: An ethnographic approach. University of Pennsylvania Press.

Kövecses, Z. (2020). Extended conceptual metaphor theory. Cambridge University Press.

Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors we live by. University of Chicago Press.

Langacker, R. W. (1987). Foundations of cognitive grammar: Theoretical prerequisites. Stanford University Press.

Larina, T. V. (2026). Language, culture, cognition and communication: The paradigms of modern linguistic research. Russian Journal of Linguistics, 30(1), 7–32.

Littlemore, J. (2023). Applying cognitive linguistics in social contexts. Routledge.

Risager, K. (2020). Linguaculture and transnationality: The cultural dimensions of language. In J. Jackson (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of language and intercultural communication (2nd ed., pp. 79–92). Routledge.

Sapir, E. (1929). The status of linguistics as a science. In D. G. Mandelbaum (Ed.), Selected writings of Edward Sapir (pp. 207–219). University of California Press.

Schmid, H.-J. (2020). The dynamics of the linguistic system: Usage, conventionalization, and entrenchment. Oxford University Press.

Sharifian, F. (2017). Cultural linguistics. John Benjamins.

Sharifian, F. (Ed.). (2023). The Routledge handbook of cultural linguistics (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Stockwell, P. (2020). Cognitive poetics: An introduction (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Talmy, L. (2000). Toward a cognitive semantics. MIT Press.

Talmy, L. (2018). The targeting system of language. MIT Press.

Taylor, J. R. (2021). Cognitive grammar. Oxford University Press.

Tomasello, M. (2003). Constructing a language: A usage-based theory of language acquisition. Harvard University Press.

Ungerer, F., & Schmid, H.-J. (2019). An introduction to cognitive linguistics (3rd ed.). Routledge.

Van Dijk, T. A. (1997). Discourse as social interaction. Sage Publications.

Vorkachev, S. G. (2016). Ex pluribus unum: Linguocultural concept as an integral entity. Russian Journal of Linguistics, 20(2), 17–30.

Whorf, B. L. (1956). Language, thought, and reality. MIT Press.

Wierzbicka, A. (1997). Understanding cultures through their key words. Oxford University Press.

Wierzbicka, A. (2021). Language, culture and cognition: Cross-cultural perspectives. Oxford University Press.

Yu, N. (2022). Embodiment, cognition and culture. De Gruyter.

Zlatev, J. (2023). Meaning-making, embodiment and cultural cognition. Review of Cognitive Linguistics, 21(2), 245–269.

Downloads

Published

2026-06-25

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Abdullayeva-Nabiyeva , V. (2026). Linguoculture as a System of Cultural Coding: The Role of Syntax in Meaning Construction. Porta Universorum, 2(6), 71-78. https://doi.org/10.69760/portuni.26060010

Similar Articles

71-80 of 129

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.