CONCEPTUALIZATIONS AND SCHEMATIZATIONS OF HEAD METAPHORS: A CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR THEORY

Book Review. A New Insight into Theory of Conceptual Metaphor

The present semantic research has been performed in order to provide a cognitive and cultural explanation of conceptual metaphors in parts 20 to 30 of the Holy Qur’an. Extraction of “types of conceptual metaphors”, determination of “high frequency metaphors”, “source domains” and “target domains” is the process of conducting research using the conceptual metaphor theory. The variety of concepts of “target” and the functional frequency of “source” concepts indicate what concepts are intended in the holy Qur'an through metaphorical conceptualization. This study provides a basis for further understanding of the worldview presented in the Holy Qur'an and the possibility of determining the behavioral patterns of religion by identifying metaphors. The results of the present study represent a septenary classification of metaphors in the “empirical source domain”, containing: “social life”, “needs of the body and its activity”, “image schemas (schema-based)”, “elements of nature”, “person”, “body parts”, and “similarity-based metaphors (simile)”; Among which, the highest percentage of metaphorical conceptualization in the source domain is in “social life” and the lowest one is in the domain of “person”. Considering the fact that most of the human knowledge is about the elements and sub-domains of “social life”, Qur’anic sources in this domain have played the most role in abstracting the cultural and doctrinal concepts of religion and organizing Islamic religious experiences using the sources of this field and have been used as customary (conventional) and practical models. Accordingly, Qur'anic metaphors lead to the formation of cultural and cognitive patterns, and the “monotheistic belief system” (Qur'anic) directs human bodily experiences in metaphorical conceptualization, and this “Qur'anic worldview” can be seen as an Islamic cultural and cognitive model in the Qur'anic metaphorical schema.

The study of conceptual interaction has attracted the attention of many scholars in Cognitive Linguistics. Primarily, the analysis has focused on the role of image-schemas in the construction of metaphors. This study explores the PATH and the CONTAINER image-schemas and the role they play in conceptual formation of metaphors in political discourse in Kenya. The study presents the PATH and its subsidiary image schemas of Verticality, Process and Force-Motion and the CONTAINER image-schema and the subsidiary image-schemas of Excess and In-Out. The analysis reveals that both the PATH and the CONTAINER image-schemas structure the relationship between the source domains (journey and container) and the target domain (politics) by activating subsidiary image-schemas in metaphors of politics in Kenya. The study further reveals that image-schemas provide the axiological value (positive or negative) of metaphorical expressions in political discourse. A positive political environment is a key ingredient for green growth and knowledge economy. The study contributes to the field of metaphor in political discourse by examining the politicians’ conceptualization of politics as a journey, which consists of four structural elements (a source, a destination, contiguous locations which connect the source and the destination and a direction) and as a container, which consists of an interior, an exterior and a boundary. The study used the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) as a tool to establish conceptual metaphors used during the 2005 Draft Constitution referendum campaigns in Kenya and the Image-Schema Theory to account for the presence of image-schemas in political discourse in Kenya. Lakoff and Johnson’s (1980) Conceptual Metaphor Theory is the locus classicus of the image schema theory.

The conceptual metaphor, LOVE IS A JOURNEY, has been identified as a process of mapping based on the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) proposed by Lakoff and Johnson (1980). However, Ahrens (2002) pointed out several problems that the CMT may encounter, especially in setting parameters to be experimentally tested. Ahrens (2002) proposed the Conceptual Mapping Model (CMM) to investigate metaphor expressions by identifying three mappings between the source domain and the target domain: entities, qualities, and functions. After an analysis, the reason for these mappings, called a mapping principle, is indicated. In particular, the CMM can predict the processing of conceptual metaphors in terms of conventional and novel metaphors. This study is intended to test whether the CMM can perform well across languages through the experimental rates of acceptability and interpretability for different types of metaphors. Fifty Vietnamese native speakers were recruited. Each participant judged (on a Likert scale of 1-7) the levels of acceptability and interpretability of three conceptual metaphors in Vietnamese: LIFE IS A BOOK, HAPPINESS IS LIGHT, and LOVE IS FIRE. Each conceptual metaphor consists of six types of sentences, including (a) Literal pair to B, (b) Conventional metaphor, (c) Literal pair to D, (d) Novel metaphor that follows the mapping principle, (e) Literal pair to F, and (f) Novel metaphor that does not follow the mapping principle. The results of t-tests show that in terms of both acceptability and interpretability, conventional metaphors are ranked higher than novel metaphors. The results also indicate that novel metaphors that follow the mapping principle are rated higher than those that do not. Therefore, the mapping principle can constrain the image schemas so that any image that does not belong to the schemas can affect the processing of metaphors.

This study aimed at investigating how media depict corona virus through the use of metaphors in the headines and conceptualizing the metaphor by the use of mappings. The data were gained from the headlines of two English online media in Indonesia, The Jakartapost and Kompas.id published from March to May, 2020. The data analyses applied qualitative descriptive study through the framework of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) proposed by Lakoff and Johnson. The data were first selected from the headlines which were then analyzed and categorized to relevant conceptual metaphors through the bridge of mappings to understand and to characterize the relationship between two concepts (source and target domains) in the metaphorical process. The study found that the most used of conceptual metaphors of corona virus is CORONA VIRUS IS A WAR. Despite its controversial issue as to blow up people

While extensive studies exist on conceptual metaphors in political discourse, a comprehensive longitudinal analysis investigating how these conceptual metaphors endure and evolve across different American presidential administrations over time is lacking. Addressing this gap, this study tracks and analyzes the usage of conceptual metaphors related to ‘war’ and ‘national security’ across different presidential administrations. Drawing on the extensive literature in the field of conceptual metaphors in political discourse, this study presents a large-scale longitudinal analysis using Conceptual Metaphor Theory (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980) to examine eighteen pivotal presidential speeches (1941–2021), using mixed- methods approach that consists of quantitative corpus analysis (AntConc) and qualitative metaphor identification conducted according to the Metaphor Identification Procedure (MIP). Findings indicate that conceptual metaphors are not static, fixed rhetorical devices employed by the political actors in reference to stable specialized target domains; they appear to be dynamic instruments of rhetoric shaped by the historical and socio-political context in which they are used. This study is predominantly characterized by two complementary trends: on the one hand, a core set of conceptual metaphorical patterns persisted across the corpus, and on the other hand their source domains and specific metaphorical vehicles have undergone significant evolutionary processes. These changes are classified as lexical evolution (updating vehicles within a stable source domain) and conceptual evolution (re-assigning the target domain to a new source domain). One central observation is that it is naturalness itself, as a phenomenon of nature, that serves as the ubiquitous source domain for both war and national security as concepts. This study contributes a nuanced longitudinal perspective to the field, illustrating how political language maintains rhetorical stability while evolving to meet contemporary realities.

The article is devoted to the issue of considering the process of metaphorization of nouns with abstract semantics (authority, fear, grief, joy, anger, dispute, life, time etc.) in relation to the theory of conceptual metaphor (J. Lakoff, M. Johnson, V.A. Uspensky, N.D. Arutyunova, Yu.D. Apresyan, E.S. Kubryakova, Yu.S. Stepanov, E. Cassirer, Z. Kövecses, etc.). According to this theory, during metaphorization, abstract nouns are conceptualized in the form of concrete ones and semantic correspondences between the source domain and the target domain are established. The article discusses issues related to the characteristic of the human brain to find correspondences between concrete and abstract objects, between material and spiritual entities and the process of metaphorization, which is a consequence of such a characteristic of the brain. The author examines in detail on the main postulates of the theory of conceptual metaphor: on the history of its creation, on the interpretation of the term “conceptual metaphor”, on the principles of comparing one target domain with several source domains and one source domain with different target domains; describes the types of hierarchical systems of cognitive metaphors; analyzes the mechanism of “constructing reality” by selecting and applying a specific source domain for a specific target domain and gives examples of “metaphorical conclusions.

Proverbs represent the beliefs and values of human cultures, the study of which can provide profound insights into concepts and daily experiences of language users. In this regard, cognitive semantics constitutes an effective framework to study linguistic meaning and uncover speakers' conceptualization of the world. In this study, we analyzed Azeri Turkish proverbs based on conceptual metaphor and image schemas theories. First, 470 Azeri proverbs were collected from the Turkish Azeri Proverbs book, and then they were checked by interviewing senior Azeri speakers. The proverbs were initially analyzed by looking for conceptual metaphors and source domain concepts and then the second time they were searched for image schemas. The findings showed that the source domain ANIMAL is the most frequent conceptual domain and the least frequent domain is related to the PATH and HEAT-COLD source domains. Also, the most frequent domain in image schemas was CONTAINMENT image schema and the least frequent one was the BALANCE image schema. In conclusion, findings suggest that the ANIMAL source domain as well as the CONTAINMENT image schema are the most prominent conceptual domains that have been frequently used in Azeri proverbs and have shaped the daily experience of Azeri speakers.

Metaphor is one of interesting objects to be research for its rich cognition and use. This study aims at investigating the conceptualization of heart metaphors and to describe the image schemas of heart metaphors. The data of the study were collected from Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) which provides significant data relevant to the study. This is a literature study using a qualitative descriptive study through the framework of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) proposed by Lakoff and Johnson. After the selection of metaphorical expressions of heart, the analysis was conducted to categorize the conceptual metaphor of each selected data. The image schemas were then drawn in accordance to the concept given. The study found that people mainly use metaphors to state these three types of concepts of heart metaphors, they are; HEART IS A CONTAINER, HEART IS AN OBJECT, and HEART IS HUMAN/BEING. These main concepts were then elaborated into several smaller categorizations. There are three image schemas drawn in accordance to the types of the conceptual metaphors like containment schema, compulsion schema, and removal of restraint schema. Then, image schemas are helpful to draw the mapping of abstract thing of target domain into more concrete thing of target domain.

Background: Previous research into metaphoric expression has suggested that metaphor offers a window into intra-individual conceptions as well as into socio-cultural understandings of illness and recovery. This study explored how people with aphasia, their family members, and their speech-language pathologists described their experiences of rehabilitation through the linguistic resource of metaphor. Aims: This study aimed to compare the perspectives of five people with aphasia, five of their family members, and their eight treating speech-language pathologists by analysing the way they used the linguistic resource of metaphor to describe their experience of aphasia therapy. Methods & Procedures: Interviews with five people with aphasia, five of their family members, and their eight speech-language pathologists were recorded, transcribed, and coded for metaphoric expressions and concepts. Outcomes & Results: Quantitatively across all participants, the metaphorical concepts of JOURNEY, BATTLE, and PRODUCT were the most frequently used metaphoric concepts expressed by the participants. Qualitatively within sets of participants, differences in the patterns of use of metaphoric concepts indicated important contrasts in the way they viewed their experiences. Conclusions: The frequent use of JOURNEY metaphor accorded with previous research into recovery, while the identification of BATTLE and PRODUCT metaphor was suggested to point to critical sites reflecting social disempowerment. Attention to the use of metaphoric expression may offer clinicians a window into how others involved in the collaborative therapy process are constructing their experience.

This study is titled "Conceptual Metaphor in Niponica Magazine No.33: Nihon no Bungaku wo Tabisuru." Conceptual metaphor is a form of mental construction derived from human experience. The features of metaphors are generally found in various informational media aimed at conveying information to be well understood. This study aims to describe conceptual metaphors in Niponica Magazine No.33. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative analysis, with the theory applied being the conceptual metaphor theory by Lakoff & Johnson (1980) and the image schema theory by Croft & Cruse (2004). Based on the findings, there are three types of metaphors in a total of 13 data points: 4 structural metaphor data points, 4 orientational metaphor data points, and 5 ontological metaphor data points. There are 5 types of image schemas: Existence, Unity, Identity, Container, and Force. The use of metaphors in magazine writing not only serves as decoration but also deepens the understanding of the concepts conveyed.

Introduction: This study explores how neoliberalism and socialism are conceptualized through image schemas in political discourse. These conceptual frameworks are best analyzed using the Conceptual Metaphor Theory, specifically its analytical tool of image schemas. The metaphorical structures identified in the analyzed texts reflect a polarized stance, particularly opposing right-wing ideologies. Neoliberalism is metaphorically framed as something negative, associated with darkness, evil, and positioned downward. Objective: To analyze how neoliberalism and socialism are conceptualized in political discourse using image schemas. Methods: The study employed a bibliographic review to collect and analyze political texts, focusing on metaphorical language. Articles were selected based on relevance and discarded if they lacked clear metaphorical usage or did not align with the research focus. The analysis utilized the Conceptual Metaphor Theory to identify image schemas in the discourse. Development: The study highlights that the conceptual metaphors present in political discourse shape public perception by framing neoliberalism as inherently negative, using metaphors of darkness and downward movement. Conversely, socialism is portrayed through positive metaphors, symbolizing light and upward movement. This metaphorical polarization reflects broader societal and political divisions, where language reinforces ideological opposition. Conclusions: The study concludes that political discourse consistently uses conceptual metaphors to portray neoliberalism negatively and socialism positively. These metaphors contribute to reinforcing ideological divisions, emphasizing the role of language in shaping political perspectives. The objective of understanding these conceptualizations was met through the identification of recurring metaphorical patterns

What Time Does in Language: a Cross-Linguistic Cognitive Study of Source Related Variation in Verbal Time Metaphors in American English, Finnish and Hungarian. Such a universal yet abstract concept as time shows variation in metaphorical language. This research focuses on metaphorical language within the framework of the cognitive metaphor theory, investigating time through a contrastive cross-linguistic approach in three satellite-framed languages. By combining qualitative and quantitative methods, this study attempts to identify what time does in language in a metaphorical context, with a focus on verbs in causative constructions (e.g. time heals) as well as manner of motion verbs (e.g. time rushes), through an empirical corpus-based study complemented by the lexical approach. The two main conceptual metaphors that are investigated in this study are time is a changer and time is a moving entity. While these two conceptual metaphors are expected to be frequent in all three languages, differences such as negative/positive asymmetry or preference of a type of motion over another are expected to be found. The primary objective is to explore such differences and see how they manifest and why. The hypothesis is that variations among the three languages related to the source domain (changer and moving entity), are more likely to be internal and not external. The purpose is to investigate these variations and to determine what cognitive underpinnings they can be traced back to, with a focus on image schemas. The study reveals that source internal variation does prevail over source external variation. The results show that cross-linguistic differences of such a relevant concept as time do exist but more often through unique characteristics of the same source domain rather than new, distinctive domains. REZUMAT. Ce face timpul: un studiu cognitiv al variațiilor conceptuale legate de domeniul sursă în metafora timpului în engleză americană, finlandeză și maghiară. Un concept atât de universal, dar abstract, precum timpul, prezintă variații în limbajul metaforic. Această cercetare se concentrează pe limbajul metaforic în contextul teoriei metaforei conceptuale, investigând imaginea timpului printr-o analiză contrastivă în trei limbi satelitare. Prin combinarea metodelor calitative și cantitative, acest studiu identifică ce face timpul într-un context metaforic, cu accent pe verbe în construcții cauzale (timpul vindecă), precum și verbe de mișcare (timpul fuge), printr-un studiu empiric bazat pe corpus completat de abordarea lexicală. Cele două metafore conceptuale principale care sunt investigate în acest studiu sunt timpul este un agent schimbător și timpul este o entitate în mișcare. Se anticipează că rezultatele studiului vor arăta faptul că, deși cele două metafore conceptuale sunt frecvente în toate cele trei limbi, există anumite diferențe, precum asimetria între imaginea negativă/pozitivă a timpului sau preferința pentru un tip de mișcare față de altul. Obiectivul principal este de a explora diferențele de acest fel și de a vedea cum se manifestă și de ce. Ipoteza este că variațiile dintre cele trei limbi legate de domeniul sursă (agent schimbător și entitate în mișcare) sunt mai degrabă interne și nu externe. Scopul este de a investiga aceste variații și de a determina pe ce principii cognitive sunt bazate, cu accent pe schemele imagistice. Studiul dezvăluie faptul că variațiile interne ale sursei domeniu prevalează asupra variațiilor externe. Rezultatele arată că există diferențe inter-lingvistice ale unui concept atât de relevant precum timpul, dar aceste diferențe se manifestă mai degrabă prin caracteristici unice ale aceluiași domeniu sursă decât prin domenii noi distincte. Cuvinte-cheie: lingvistică cognitivă, teoria metaforei conceptuale, corpus, implicaţii metaforice, domeniul sursă

This study aims at finding the use of life metaphors in tetralogy Laskar Pelangi (hereinafter TLP). Data were analyzed in the framework of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) by using a descriptive qualitative approach. We found 21 life metaphors in TLP and the finding shows that the conceptual metaphor of life as a target domain is mapped into several diverse source domains, and they are: life is a fluid in a container, life is a journey, life is a living organism, life is a precious possession, life is dedication to others, life is a struggle,life is guidance, life is war, and life is hard work. It can be concluded that TLP is rich with the use of metaphors in describing the cultural events of the Malays in detail. The way how the Malay master the problems in their lives, how they see and understand the world, is made clear by their language, which is reflected in conceptual metaphors. The results of this research support the idea that metaphors are not just rhetorical devices to say something more stylistically but they are conceptual in nature and its existence can be different in each culture.

How human understand and represent concepts is always a hot topic in cognitive psychology. According to the conceptual metaphor theory 1, 2, understanding and representing abstract concepts rely on concrete concepts via metaphoric mappings. In this review, we discussed three core issues with the aim to have a comprehensive understanding of conceptual metaphors. First, I describe the underlying process of metaphoric mappings. Lakoff and Johnson (1999) 2 put forward that the source domain (concrete concepts) can be used to represent the target domain (abstract concepts). The metaphoric mappings from source domains to target domains are characterized as image schemas, which structure and provide sensory-motor grounding for abstract concepts. Then, I concerned on the directionality (the second issue) and automaticity (the third issue) of metaphoric mappings. According to conceptual metaphor theory, metaphoric mappings have the directionality from the concrete domain to the abstract domain, which is an automatic and obligatory process with neither effort nor awareness. However, directionality and automaticity were debated by recent research. In this article, by focusing on the three important issues I provided a comprehensive review which would help deepen our understanding about the nature of metaphoric mappings.