Metaphoric and Metonymic Conceptualization of LOVE in Indonesian

Abstract

The present study is aimed at investigating the conceptual metaphors and metonymies contributing to the structure of the LOVE concept in Indonesian, and how are these metaphors and metonymies related to each other through the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) (Lakoff& Johnson, 1980, Lakoff& Turner, 1989, Lakoff, 1993, Kövecses, 2002). In addition to conceptual metaphor, Lakoff&Kövecses (1987), Kövecses (2000, 2006, 2008a&b) claim that conceptual metonymy also plays a significant role in providing the structure of emotional concepts, such as love. The conceptual metaphors that structure to the concept of LOVE in Indonesian are: love is a (hot) fluid in a container; love is a unity of two complementary parts; love is fire; love is insanity; love is a rapture; love are natural and physical forces; love is a social superior; love is an opponent; love is a journey; the object of love is a deity; the object of love is a possession; rational is up; emotional is down, and conscious is up; unconscious is down (in the case of jatuhcinta--falling in love).Looking at the conceptual metonymies for emotions, there are two general types: CAUSE OF EMOTION FOR THE EMOTION and EFFECT OF EMOTION FOR THE EMOTION, with the latter being much more common than the former (Kövecses, 2000, 2008a&b). This common form of metonymy can be categorised into two types of responses: physiological and behavioural responses (Kövecses, 2000, 2008a&b). With respect to the concept of LOVE, an example of the former is BLUSHING STANDS FOR LOVE and the latter is PHYSICAL CLOSENESS STANDS FOR LOVE. There is an important and tight connection between emotion metaphors and metonymies; that is “metonymies can be said to motivate the metaphors”, in the linguistic, conceptual, and physical aspects (Kövecses 2008b:382).