Conceptual Metaphor. Lecture 9

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Lecture 9
Conceptual Metaphor
1.
What isConceptual Metaphor?
2. The process of comprehension of metaphors and building
knowledge.
3. The Conceptual Metaphor Theory: basic concepts and
assumptions
4.
The interconnection between metaphorical thinking and cognition.
5.
Source and target domains of metaphor.
6.
Categories of conceptual metaphor.
7. Classification of Conceptual Metaphors
8.
Conceptual metaphors in FLT.

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What is metaphor?

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Metaphor:
A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or
phrase is applied to an object or action that it does
not literally denote, suggesting a likeness or analogy.
Metaphors are primarily seen as a feature of
language.
Example: "Timeisa thief."
Explanation: Here, "thief" is not meant to be
understood literally. Instead, it conveys the idea that
time can take away moments or experiences just as a
thief might steal possessions.

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1. Conceptual Metaphor:
A conceptual metaphor, on the other hand, is a fundamental
cognitive mechanism that allows us to understand one idea or
conceptual domain in terms of another. It is not merely a
linguistic expression but reflects a broader, underlying
cognitive structure. Conceptual metaphor theory (CMT)
started with George Lakoff and Mark Johnson’s book,
Metaphors We Live By (1980).
Example: "Understandingisseeing; confused islost."
Explanation: This metaphor goes beyond language. It represents
a pervasive way of thinking: when we understand something,
we "see the light" or "it's clear," and when we're confused, we're
"in the dark" or "lost." It's not just a way of speaking; it's a way of
conceptualizing and experiencing one mental state in terms of
a more concrete physical state.

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Purposeand Usage:
Metaphor: Typically used for rhetorical effect or to add color and
imagery to language.
Conceptual Metaphor: Serves as a fundamental cognitive tool that
shapes our understanding of the world, influencing not just the way we talk
but the way we think, reason, and act.
Scope and Impact:
Metaphor: Often seen as isolated or individual expressions within a text or
dialogue.
Conceptual Metaphor: Represents a systematic pattern of thought that can
be identified across large bodies of text and discourse.
Relation to Cognition:
Metaphor: A metaphor is often seen primarily as a linguistic
phenomenon.
Conceptual Metaphor: Deeply embedded in human cognition,
conceptual metaphors are seen as building blocks of thought.
Linguistic VersusCognitive Phenomenon:
Metaphor: Can be appreciated without necessarily altering one's
conceptual understanding.
Conceptual Metaphor: Often unnoticed in everyday language but
fundamentally shapes how we perceive reality and construct
knowledge.

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2.The Process of Comprehension of Metaphors and Building
Knowledge:
Metaphors are often thought of as a literary device, but
their role extends far beyond the poetic. When we
encounter a metaphor, our minds engage in a
cognitive process that bridges the familiar with the
unfamiliar. This mapping enables us to comprehend
abstract or complex subjects through more concrete
terms. For instance, when we say "Time is a thief," we
understand the intangible nature of time by equating it
with the concrete action of a thief stealing something
valuable from us. This metaphor not only helps us
comprehend the concept of time passing irretrievably
but also builds our knowledge by connecting new
information with our existing mental models.

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While all conceptual metaphors can be
expressed through linguistic metaphors,
not all linguistic metaphors reflect
deeper
conceptual
metaphors.
Understanding this distinction allows us
to appreciate the profound role that
metaphor plays in shaping not only
communication but also thought and
action

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3. Basic concepts and assumptions that underpin the
theory:
1. Metaphorical Thought:
CMT suggests that human thought processes are inherently
metaphorical. People understand and process a wide range
of complex and abstract concepts by relating them to more
concrete experiences from everyday life.
Example: "Heisdrowning in hiswork."
Explanation: This metaphor conveys an overwhelming
experience using the scenario of drowning, which is a physical
and life-threatening situation, to express the feeling of being
overwhelmed by work.

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2. Conceptual Mapping:
This is the cognitive process by which elements of the source
domain are used to understand and articulate elements of
the target domain. For example, in the metaphor "Time is
money," concepts from the domain of money (spending,
saving, wasting) are mapped onto the domain of time.
Example: "I’mnavigating through a difficult period in my life."
Explanation: Navigational terms from the domain of
seafaring or traveling (source domain) are applied to life
experiences (target domain), suggesting that life can be
seen as a journey with obstacles to overcome.

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3.Unidirectionality:
CMT asserts that metaphoric mappings are typically
unidirectional, meaning that they transfer meaning from
the source to the target but not usually in the reverse
direction. The qualities of the source domain are
projected onto the target domain to help us
conceptualize it.
Example: "Loveisa battlefield."
Explanation: The metaphor maps the concept of conflict
from a battlefield (source domain) onto love (target
domain), but not the other way around. We don't
typically use love terminology to describe a battlefield.

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4.Embodiment of Metaphors:
Many metaphors are grounded in our physical and
bodily experiences (the embodiment hypothesis). For
example, the metaphorical expression "I grasp the idea"
links the physical experience of grasping an object to the
abstract act of understanding.
Example: "Thatidea justflewover my head."
Explanation: The physical experience of something flying
overhead, beyond one’s reach, is used to describe the
failure to understand an abstract idea.

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5.SystematicityofMetaphors:
Metaphors are systematic in that they consistently map a set of
related concepts from the source domain to the target domain.
This system is not random but follows patterns that are
observable and predictable across different contexts and
languages.
Example: "Sheplanted theseeds of kindnesseverywhereshewent."
Explanation: The systematic use of agricultural terms (source
domain) like planting and seeds to describe the act of
spreading kindness (target domain) follows a consistent pattern
of growth and cultivation being applied to behavior.

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6. Experiential Basis:
CMT assumes that many metaphors are based on everyday
experiences. The theory posits that our interactions with the
physical world provide the foundational experiences from
which conceptual metaphors arise.
Example: "I’mfeeling up today."
Explanation: Our physical experience of elevation,
associated with standing up and feeling tall, is
metaphorically linked to a positive emotional state.

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7. Cultural Context of Metaphors:
While some metaphorical concepts are universal or nearuniversal due to common human experiences, others can
be culture-specific, reflecting the unique experiences,
values, and beliefs of particular cultural groups.
Example: "Hehita home runwiththat presentation."
Explanation: In cultures where baseball is a significant
sport, hitting a home run (source domain) is a metaphor for
achieving great success (target domain) in various fields.

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8.Metaphors as ToolsforReasoning:
CMT claims that metaphors are not just for language
decoration or communication but serve as fundamental
tools for reasoning.
Metaphorical structures influence the way people make
inferences, solve problems, and even how they act.
Example: "Weneed tobreak down thisproblem."
Explanation: The metaphor of physically breaking
something into smaller parts (source domain) is used to
describe the cognitive strategy of solving a problem
(target domain) by addressing itsindividual components.

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4. TheInterconnection between Metaphorical Thinkingand
Cognition:
Metaphorical thinking is deeply intertwined with cognition. It
allows us to use what we know about our physical and social
experiences to understand more abstract concepts. Cognitive
linguists like George Lakoff and Mark Johnson argue that our
conceptual system is largely metaphorical. For example,
consider the metaphor "Arguments are wars." We talk about
arguments in terms of battles: we defend our positions, attack
the weak points, and strategize our arguments. This is not
merely a linguistic quirk but reflects a conceptual framework
that influences how we perceive, experience, and carry out
arguments.

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5. Source and Target Domains of Metaphor:
In conceptual metaphor theory, we understand one
idea (the target domain) in terms of another (the
source domain). The target domain is usually
abstract, while the source domain is more concrete
and rooted in our physical experience. Take, for
example, the metaphor "Life is a journey." Here, "life"
is the abstract target domain, and "journey" is the
concrete source domain. This metaphor allows us
to conceptualize life as having a starting point, a
destination, and an array of experiences along the
way—just like a journey.

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6.Categories of Conceptual Metaphors:
There are several categories of metaphors identified by Lakoff
and Johnson, including structural metaphors (which use one
concept to structurally define another), orientational
metaphors (which organize a concept in terms of spatial
orientation, like "up is good"), and ontological metaphors
(which treat activities, emotions, or ideas as objects and
substances).
Structural Metaphors: "The foundation of my beliefs."
Explanation: Beliefs are structured and supported like a
building.
Orientational Metaphors: "My spiritsrose."
Explanation: Emotions are given a spatial orientation, with "up"
signifying positive affect.
Ontological Metaphors: "Weneed to tackle that issue."
Explanation: An issue is conceptualized as an opponent in a
physical contest that must be confronted or tackled.

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In essence, the Conceptual Metaphor Theory
reveals the pervasive role of metaphors in
shaping not just language but also thought and
action. It argues that our conceptual system is
fundamentally metaphorical, influencing a
wide array of human activities, from everyday
conversation to complex reasoning and artistic
expression.

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Conceptual metaphors can be classified into several types
based on how they structure our understanding of various
abstract concepts. Here's a classification based on the work of
George Lakoff and Mark Johnson in their book "Metaphors We
Live By":
1. Structural Metaphors:
2. Orientational Metaphors:
3. Ontological Metaphors:
4. Personification:
5. Metonymy:
6. Synecdoche:
7. Compound Metaphors:
8. Complex Metaphors:
9. Root Metaphors:

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1.StructuralMetaphors:
These metaphors use one concept and its structure to
understand and elaborate another concept. They map
the structure of a concrete concept onto an abstract
concept.
Example: "Argumentiswar."
Explanation: In this metaphor, the structure of war, with its
strategies, wins, and losses, is used to conceptualize an
argument. We talk about "defending points," "attacking
weaknesses," and "winning arguments" using the structure
of the war concept.

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2.OrientationalMetaphors:
These give a concept a spatial orientation, such as up-down,
in-out, front-back, on-off, deep-shallow, and centralperipheral. These metaphors often derive from our physical
and cultural experiences.
Example: "Happyisup; sad isdown."
Explanation: We use physical orientation to describe mood
states, such as "feeling down" to mean sad or "feeling high" to
mean happy.

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3.Ontological Metaphors:
Ontological metaphors allow us to conceive of abstract
concepts, activities, emotions, or ideas as objects,
substances, and containers.
Example: "Themindisa machine."
Explanation: This metaphor conceptualizes the mind as an
object with parts and operations like a machine, allowing
us to talk about "mental processing" or "brainpower."

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4.Personification:
This is where we comprehend a nonhuman entity in terms
of human characteristics.
We attribute human qualities to abstract concepts or
inanimate objects.
Example: "Inflationiseating up ourprofits."
Explanation: Inflation, an economic concept, is given the
human attribute of eating to conceptualize its impact on
profits.

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5.Metonymy:
Although not strictly a type of metaphor, metonymy is
closely related and involves using one entity to refer to
another that is closely associated with it.
Example: "TheWhiteHouse made a statement."
Explanation: The term "The White House," which is a
building, is used to refer to the people who work within
it,particularly the U.S.administration.

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6. Synecdoche:
A specific type of metonymy where a part of something is
used to refer to the whole, or vice versa.
Example:"Allhands on deck."
Explanation: "Hands" are used to refer to the sailors or
people on a ship, signifying their participation.
7. Compound Metaphors:
These are complex metaphors that are built from the
combination of several primary metaphors.
Example:"Thefabric of society."
Explanation: This metaphor combines ideas of society as a
woven material, implying interconnectedness and
structure.

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8. Complex Metaphors:
Complex metaphors are those that involve a mapping of
multiple correlated source domain concepts onto a single
target domain.
Example:"Timeismoney."
Explanation: This metaphor maps multiple aspects of money
(spending, saving, budgeting) onto the concept of time.
9. RootMetaphors:
These are the basic metaphors that underlie and support other
metaphors within a culture.
Example:"Lifeisa journey."
Explanation: This metaphor underlies many other expressions
and metaphors about life, setting up a framework within
which we understand life events.

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These categories are not mutually exclusive and
often overlap. Metaphors can function in complex
ways, with a single metaphorical expression
potentially involving several types of metaphors
simultaneously. Understanding these classifications
helps to reveal the depth and nuance of our
cognitive processes and the role of metaphor in
thought and language.

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8.Conceptual MetaphorsinFLT:
In the context of FLT, conceptual
metaphors become a powerful tool.
They can aid learners in grasping the
nuances of a foreign language by
relating new words and expressions to
familiar concepts from their native
language. For instance, in teaching
English, one might use the metaphor
"Ideas are food" to explain phrases like
"food for thought" or "chew on this
idea." This not only enriches the
learner's vocabulary but also their
cultural
and
conceptual
understanding of how language is
used metaphorically.

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-using
conceptual metaphors in teaching idioms provides
developments of the learners‟ metaphor awareness and success
in an FL context
-learners become more interested and involved, making creative
associations in mother tongue and English
-they are motivated when they discover similarities and
differences between the two languages and cultures
-students use those expressions while speaking to both the
teacher and among themselves (this observation shows that their
progress is not only limited to their receptive side
(understanding what they read/hear) but also included their
productive side (using what they have learnt in communication)
-thoughts and perceptions become more vivid and interesting
with metaphors

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Conclusion:
Conceptual metaphors are at the heart of how we
understand the world, communicate, and learn.
They are not just linguistic phenomena but cognitive tools that
shape our perception of reality. As we navigate through the
abstract and complex, metaphors serve as bridges,
connecting the known to the unknown, making the
incomprehensible comprehensible, and enriching our
knowledge and our ability to learn new languages.

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References