A Conceptual Study of Metaphors in Moroccan Tachelhit Variety

Abstract

This paper investigates conceptual metaphors in the Moroccan Tachelhit variety in the light of the contemporary theory of metaphor advanced by Lakoff and Johnson (1980). The main objective of this research is to find out the conceptual differences between Tachelhit and English language. It also aims at contributing to the field of metaphor in Tamazight linguistics as well as filling the gap that exists in the literature. This qualitative research adopted content analysis as a technique with which data is collected, categorized, and analyzed. This research shows that metaphor can be used as a tool to examine the cultural groupthink of communities. The main findings of the present study include the conceptual differences between Tachelhit and English in metaphors such as: TIME IS A HUMAN BEING, NEWS IS A HUMAN BEING, DIRECTNESS IS UP, WORDS ARE LIQUID, HUNGER IS A KILLING THING, WEAKNESS IS EMPTINESS, GOODNESS IS A STRAIGHT LINE, MONEY IS DIRT, USEFULNESS IS A PRECIOUS OBJECT and REPUTE IS A DELICATE OBJECT; which are all examples of conceptual metaphors that exist in Tachelhit. This research paper also demonstrates that metaphor can structure gestures the way it structures metaphoric linguistic expressions. Conceptual metaphors are vital elements that need be taken into consideration in intercultural as well as intracultural contexts to overcome communication failures.