On the construal of MUSIC IS MOTION metaphor

Abstract

Abstract TIME IS MOTION can be construed in two models. One is the Ego-based, the other is Time-based so as to form three time metaphors, MOVING TIME, TIME’S LANDSCAPE, and TEMPORAL SEQUENCE. When construing musical motion, people tend to borrow this conceptual framework and get three musical metaphors, i.e. MOVING MUSIC, MUSICAL LANDSCAPE, and MUSICAL SEQUENCE. The MUSICAL SEQUENCE metaphor falls into three categories, i.e. SEQUENCE IS THE RELATIVE POSITION ON THE TIME PATH, ON THE PITCH PATH, and ON THE KEY PATH. Time Metaphor and the Event Structure Metaphor jointly construct the two construal models for the metaphor MUSIC IS MOTION. This study tries to validate the previous research on conceptual construals in such a new field as music so as to enlarge the research range of the conceptual metaphor theory and provide reference for the subsequent research on music.