Linguistic tools for embodied minds

Authors

  • Anna Maria Borghi
  • Felice Cimatti
  • Marco Tullio Liuzza

Keywords:

Embodiment, Language as tool, Vygotskji, Inner speech, Cultural animal

Abstract

In this paper, we outline the embodied perspective of language comprehension indicating some of its limitations. We claim that the notions of language as a tool (CLARK 2006a, 2006b), might be useful to overcome a view focused only on referential aspects of language. Words, in quality of tools, can: a. facilitate communication among speakers; b. influence categorization; c. have a different impact on concrete and abstract words;  d. allow us to construct an inner speech. Finally, we discuss how thinking about language as tool can help inform future research on thought, language and body.

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Published

2012-07-30

How to Cite

Borghi, A. M., Cimatti, F. and Liuzza, M. T. (2012) “Linguistic tools for embodied minds”, Rivista Italiana di Filosofia del Linguaggio, 6(2), pp. 43-58. Available at: http://www.rifl.unical.it/index.php/rifl/article/view/36 (Accessed: 7January2026).

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 2 (2012): Vygotskij e il linguaggio (a cura di F. Cimatti, L. Mecacci, E. Velmezova)

Section

Articoli

License

Works published in RIFL are released under Creative Commons Licence:Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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