Language is versatile. Language is complex. Language can be a mystery. For example, why do we say chair leg although legs are usually thought of being a part of the human body or an animal? Why do we refer to the ground where a river runs through as a river bed? Is a bed not usually an object that we use to sleep in? And why is it that we can say I’m surfing the web although surfing typically means to ride one’s board on ocean waves? The news report says, The Iraq democracy is in its infancy. Would we not typically use infancy when we talk about children, or refer to a person’s childhood? If we consider the above examples, we can easily draw the conclusion that these words – besides their original meaning – can be used “outside of their natural environment”. Words and their meaning can be transferred to a different domain. The name for such a transfer is metaphor. [...] This paper will highlight Lakoff’s and Johnson’s major claim that metaphor is not only a poetic device, or simply a (linguistic) matter of spoken words, but that “our ordinary conceptual system, in terms of which we both think and act, is fundamentally metaphorical in nature” (Lakoff & Johnson 1980: 3). I shall explain some of the most important devices of their theory, such as target, source, and mapping and briefly elucidate the systematicity that underlies metaphorical conceptualization. The analysis of the conceptual metaphor, LOVE IS A JOURNEY, will reveal some ambiguities about Lakoff’s and Johnson’s theory. By doing this, I will consider some of the major critiques and analyze whether there is an underlying conceptual metaphoric system in our everyday language.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Conceptual metaphors: target & source, mapping and the systematicity of metaphorical concepts
- Problems in reasoning: LOVE IS A JOURNEY
- Coherence and consistency
- Problem of multiple metaphors
- Conclusion and outlook
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper aims to analyze the theory of conceptual metaphor, specifically focusing on the groundbreaking work of Lakoff and Johnson. The paper will explore the key concepts of the theory, including the notion of metaphorical concepts, the mapping process between source and target domains, and the systematicity of metaphorical thought. It will also examine the implications of this theory for our understanding of language, thought, and perception. The key themes explored in this paper include:- The pervasive nature of metaphor in everyday language and thought
- The conceptual basis of metaphor, arguing that it is not merely a linguistic device but a fundamental element of our cognitive system
- The process of mapping between source and target domains in metaphorical conceptualization
- The systematicity of metaphorical thought, suggesting that metaphors are not random occurrences but rather follow patterns and structures
- The implications of conceptual metaphor theory for our understanding of language, thought, and perception.
Chapter Summaries
The introduction lays out the central argument of the paper, asserting that metaphor is not simply a poetic device but a fundamental aspect of human cognition. The chapter explores the concept of metaphor, providing examples from everyday language and highlighting the distinction between metaphorical and literal meaning. The second chapter delves into the core elements of conceptual metaphor theory, defining key terms such as "target" and "source" domains, "mapping," and "systematicity." This chapter aims to clarify how metaphorical concepts are formed and structured within our cognitive system. The third chapter focuses on the specific conceptual metaphor LOVE IS A JOURNEY, analyzing its potential ambiguities and limitations. This analysis aims to illustrate the complexities and challenges involved in applying the theory of conceptual metaphor to real-world examples.Keywords
This paper centers around the theory of conceptual metaphor, focusing on the work of Lakoff and Johnson. Key concepts explored include metaphorical concepts, mapping, systematicity, and the application of the theory to specific examples such as the metaphor LOVE IS A JOURNEY. The paper also considers the implications of conceptual metaphor for our understanding of language, thought, and perception.- Quote paper
- Markus Bulgrin (Author), 2007, Metaphor or the war on words – a critical analysis of the theory of conceptual metaphors, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/113676
