Cognitive Metaphor Research Articles

«I have ants in my pants»: Metaphorical Framing in Female’s Conversational Narratives of Osteoporosis

Some changes that humans undergo in their bodies as they grow older are accompanied by a decline in health. Exclusively from the patients’ perspective, this paper is based on narratives of lived experiences related to osteoporosis, one chronic disease that usually develops unnoticedly as age increases and that is more frequent in females than in males. The general aim is to delve into the linguistic expressions used by women suffering from osteoporosis to talk about their condition. More specifically, the study focuses on the metaphors that patients use to describe or share their real insights and experiences with the disease and how these contribute to project an image of women themselves, on the one hand, but also to provide peers with further information and support, help them improve their lives and understand the inherent complex changes, symptoms and difficulties that they, their bodies and bones (may) experiment, on the other. To fulfil these purposes, a sample of conversational voluntarily produced narratives of women diagnosed with osteoporosis has been compiled, where metaphors have been identified and analysed following the cognitive metaphor theory. The results reveal an alternance of positive empowering and negative metaphors, where women face the suffering and complexities of the disease, but they present and see themselves as brave and empowered patients with dreams and non-stigmatised lives.

Conceptual Mappings of Metaphorical Euphemisms in Ekegusii Circumcision Ceremonies

Conceptual mappings are a key tenet of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) and are sets of systematic correspondences between the source and target domains. As observed in the relevant literature, it is argued that metaphors establish a conceptual link between a source and target concept such that the target domain is understood through a source domain. As a result, the correspondences are constrained by different mapping scopes which help avoid the transfer of just any kind of feature from the source to the target concept. In this study, we sought to examine the conceptual mappings of metaphorical euphemisms in Ekegusii Circumcision Ceremonies. The study analyzed the conceptual mappings of metaphorical euphemisms used in EC based on the essentials of cognitive metaphor analysis and principles of Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT). The metaphor-related words (MRWs) identified using the Metaphor Identification Procedure (MIPVU) were subjected to conceptual analysis using the CMT. The conceptualization of the target domain euphemisms was obtained through projections in the source domain such as objects, animals, plants, and human beings. In this view, the study identified the following four generic metaphors in Ekegusii Circumcision Discourse; Circumcision is a Human being, Circumcision is an Animal, Circumcision is a Plant and Circumcision is an Object. The study employed a descriptive research design. A combined method of elicitation and the native speaker’s intuition was used to collect culture-specific metaphorical euphemisms through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). The quantitative data on the other hand was analyzed using the statistical Package for Social Sciences which is; Chi-square at a significant level of 0.05 was employed to test the association between the overall cross-tabulated corpus of the generic level metaphors versus the influence of demographic variables on the usage of euphemisms in Ekegusii Circumcision ceremonies. The findings of this study not only contribute to the existing literature in cognitive linguistics but also indicate that Ekegusii speakers conceptualize circumcision through metaphorical euphemisms. The findings of this study are of benefit to the ethnographers and metaphor theorists for further reference.

The Integrated Study of Cognitive Metaphor Theory on the Teaching of Foreign Language Intercultural Communication in Universities

Therefore, this paper proposes a new research method, cognitive metaphor theory. In previous studies, the problem of intercultural communication is rarely explored, and cognitive metaphor is an effective way to overcome this obstacle. Therefore, this paper attempts to explore the influence of metaphor on language learning from the perspective of language. This study aims to reveal the important role of metaphor in language learning through literature analysis, logic analysis and practical research.

Conceptual meanings in middle neolithic red-painted pottery from Central Greece: A case study

Human expression uses conceptual metaphors in various forms and modalities, one of which is material culture. Although conceptual or cognitive metaphors have been recognized in cognitive linguistics, abstractions on nature and structure can function as a tool for metaphorical reconstructions through and/or from archaeological evidence that derives from early communities. This paper initiates a discussion of the figurative meanings in Middle Neolithic red-painted pottery from Central Greece using a case study, the Middle Neolithic red-painted pottery from Halai. Even though a particular context is undoubtedly the foundational factor of archaeological interpretation, human cognition emerges from universal processes that are the same in all humans. Pottery, a material culture product, can express metaphorical meanings of knowledge and bodily experience, while the repetition of characteristic patterns in a particular region can demonstrate social identities and stylistic boundaries.

Comparative Analysis of Metaphors of “Flowers” in English and Chinese Poetry from the Perspective of Cognitive Metaphor Theory

Comparative Analysis of Metaphors of “Flowers” in English and Chinese Poetry from the Perspective of Cognitive Metaphor Theory

PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING TASKS FOR INTERPRETING A MULTIMODAL TEXT WHEN DELIVERING UNIVERSITY FL EDUCATION DEGREE PROGRAMMES

We discuss theoretical issues connected with methodological construction of problem-solving tasks for development of polycode competence in the system of language tertiary education. As one of the salient genres of polycode texts we take British and American political cartoon and the process of its interpretation. Yet another object of discussion is formed by particular difficulties when we try to include this format into text analysis. It gives us grounds to single out key features of polycode texts, which make them different from traditional text format. Here we include lack of precise genre typology, combination of various semiotic codes, lacunas presence, clip character, specific nature of intertextual chains. We single out several stages in the process of polycode competence formation and development. In particular, problem-solving tasks aimed at identification and primary decoding of certain elements typical for any polycode text; problem-solving tasks aimed at interpretation of verbal and visual components; carrying out group project/group projects of scientific educational or scientific research, of cultural and discourse character; participation in culturally-oriented discussions; assessment of the level of student’s polycode competence formation when interpreting a certain genre of polycode text. In this article, we focus upon possible problem-solving tasks of the first two stages. As one of possible solutions, we suggest conceptual cognitive metaphor modelling and oppositions. The oppositions in this case are built on basic sociocultural values while metaphor modelling includes structural, orientational and ontological concepts, which can be further found out in various types of polycode texts. As possible advantages of this approach, we consider it giving ground for interdisciplinary connections in the course of professional foreign language training. It also enables to widen the scope of questions and topics discussed with students as well as introduce certain linguocultural and sociocultural phenomena. All this assists in building professional competence of a would-be specialist as far as foreign media and multimodal environment is concerned, including its destructive practices. We also describe results of the experimental work. As part of the experiment, we assessed student’s ability to recognise images, symbols, archetypes, linguocultural subjects and meanings, precedent phenomena, continuity of forms and structures, conceptual metaphors and models, conceptual oppositions, basic and transferred meanings, connotations.

Manipualtive Use of Metaphors in Economic Media Articles

As the theory of cognitive linguistics claims, metaphors shape not just our communication, but also the way we think and act in our everyday life. On the other hand, economic theory is based on the use of metaphors and figurative thinking. The aim of this article is to describe the usage of some cognitive metaphors in economic texts in Bulgarian online media. The object of cognitive and discourse analysis are economic media articles published 2020-2023 on the Internet. Media often use metaphors and figurative language not only to amuse their audiences but also to influence the unconscious mind of the people.

Метафора банковского кризиса 2023 г. как составляющая экономического дискурса

INTRODUCTION. A cognitive-discourse analysis of the 2023 banking crisis (BC) metaphor is presented. The need to comprehend current events through a multi-level analysis of economic discourse and its components, the task of modeling a cognitive metaphor in economic media texts that carry information about business in order to identify the dominant metaphorical models characteristic of economic discourse, the feasibility of determining general trends in the development of economic discourse through comparative analysis of the metaphor of BC and EC (economic crisis) determines the relevance of the topic.MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study of sources of English-language business economic information (March-December 2023) was conducted on the basis of the following methods: continuous sampling, descriptive and comparative, cognitive modeling method.RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. The most frequent metaphorical models were identified: “BC is a person”, “BC is a disease”, “BC is a natural disaster”, “BC is a road” and a new model “BC is the process of cooking”. Established metaphors are characterized by processuality, and the complexity of concepts acting as source spheres ensures the semantic irradiation of the main concept due to the transformation of the meanings and assessments collectively reflected in it and leads to the consolidation of metaphors in economic discourse. Dominant metaphorical models also dominate the representation of EC 2008–2012. Comparing the metaphors of two economic crises allows us to identify some general trends in the development of economic discourse.CONCLUSIONS. The combination of different metaphorical models enhances their impact on the addressee. Metaphorical meaning generation is an ongoing process that creates a cognitive frame for the perception of economic discourse. Prospects for further research consist in considering the interaction of metaphorical models with each other and with other means of influence – precedent phenomena, emotive and euphemistic vocabulary, phraseology.

A look at, inside, and outside metaphors

Abstract How metaphors are comprehended and their pragmatic effects have long been of interest (Colston, 2019; Gibbs, 2017; Gibbs & Colston, 2012). Attending to the varied constructions where metaphors appear has also advanced our understanding (Athanasiadou, 2017). How metaphors in extra-linguistic mediums has been of particular interest of late, as have the import of embodied simulations (Bergen, 2012; Cienki & Muller, 2008; Forceville & Urios-Aparisi, 2009). But these explorations outside of language and inside the body have left some bits relatively unattended. Metaphors and their host constructions can be embedded into an array of language genres. These also bring their own idiosyncratic influences on metaphor cognition. Moreover, the target domain content that metaphors invoke adds to this complex mixture. And metaphors can be layered within metaphors. This paper presents a tour of just some of the immense fractalesque complexity invoked when we look at the full richness of metaphorical meaning.

Когнитивная фитонимическая метафора как средство описания внешности человека в русской и китайской лингвокультурах

The article deals with the cognitive phytonymic metaphor, which forms the plant code in Russian and Chinese linguocultures. A cognitive metaphor, i.e. conceptual metaphor (G. Lakoff, M. Johnson), establishes stable correspondences between the source and the target domains, which are fixed in a linguoculture. This paper investigates the cognitive phytonymic metaphor as a way of interpreting and cognizing reality and, at the same time, as one of the most effective means of creating and representing a linguistic worldview. Considering phytonyms and the plant concepts they are naming as the source domain and the person as the target domain, the cognitive phytonymic metaphor activates a metaphorical mapping that reflects the plant code of culture as part of the coordinate system of linguocultures. The significance of analysing the cognitive mechanisms of the phytonymic metaphor lies in revealing the commonality and individuality of the national linguistic consciousness and values of the two peoples, embodied in the fragments of their linguistic worldviews. The study aimed to identify the characteristic features of the perception of the plant world by members of the Russian and Chinese national linguocultural communities. To achieve this aim, the following tasks were solved: firstly, phytonyms in the two linguocultures were studied as a means of describing a person’s external characteristics; secondly, based on phytomorphisms, a comparative analysis was performed of the cognitive mechanisms of the phytonymic metaphor in Russian and Chinese linguistic worldviews; thirdly, factors contributing to the emergence of differences between cognitive phytonymic metaphors in the two linguocultures were identified. The research concludes that, in most cases, when comparing phytonymic metaphors in the two linguocultures one will find discrepancies, including asymmetry and nonequivalence. Such factors as geographical environment, religion, history, national culture, way of thinking and hierarchy of peoples’ values can have a great influence on the formation of differences between cognitive phytonymic metaphors in the two linguocultures.

Metaphorization and Metonimization as Tools of Semantic Derivation (Based on English Economics Textbooks)

This paper studies two types of indirect (secondary) nomination: simulative and indicative, taken extracts from English economics textbooks. The similative nomination is actualized through functional transfer, which is interpreted as a separate kind of metaphor termed “actional metaphor”. The analysis of indicative nomination is focused on metonymy and synecdoche (as a closely related device), which is conditioned by the same transfer principle on the basis of an essential attribute. The semantic derivates are considered in sentences representing such a logical form of thought as definition, which reveals the metaphoric and metonymic processes in the field of English economic terminology.Our analysis reveals the interrelations between models of terms and their functions as designators of target and source domains on the one hand, and types of cognitive metaphor (ontological and conceptual), on the other. The author comes to the conclusion that both types can have either simple or complex structures. Similarly, there are simple and complex metonymies. These are the peculiarities of this type of economic discourse from the point of view of semantic derivation. Another feature of economic discourse is the tendency towards the uniform secondary semiotic code when describing metaphorized terms.With regard to indicative secondary nomination, the main findings are as follows: the metonymic lexis is organized as a chain of oppositions: terms and nomens – terms – terms and common lexis – common lexis. The mechanism of forming “mixed” kinds of indirect nominations, i.e. metaphtonymy and synecdoche-metonymy, is revealed in the course of the contextual analysis. This leads the author to a hypothetical argument that it is the actional metaphor that underlies these mixed types of semantic derivatives.Both types of the secondary nomination have a systemic nature: metaphor is described in other system units; metonymies have a field structure and are actualised through specific oppositions. Transl.: Anokhina S.P. 2021. Metaphorization and Metonimization as Tools of Semantic Derivation (Based on English Economics Textbooks). Professional Discourse & Communication. 3(3). P. 65–82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24833/2687-0126-2021-3-3-65-82

Metaphor of Shame in Chinese and Russian

The article presents a comparative analysis of metaphors reflecting the emotion of shame in Russian and Chinese. The methods of conceptual analysis, comparative analysis, metaphorical modeling and corpus research of metaphorical units are used on the material of the Chinese BCC and CCL buildings and the Russian NKRJ corps. The aim of the work is to study the emotional metaphors of shame in Russian and Chinese and to identify similarities and differences in the conceptualization of shame in the two linguistic cultures. The methodological basis of the research is the theory of cognitive metaphors by J. Lakoff. According to this theory, the metaphors of shame in Russian and Chinese were divided into five types: physical, natural, ontological, behavioral and sensory. As a result of the study, it turned out that in different cultures there are similarities in the use of metaphors to express shame, which may indicate a universal biological basis for this emotion. However, trends and differences in cognitive processes lead to significant differences between Russians and Chinese in how metaphors are used to express shame. The study of shame metaphors in Russian and Chinese is an important topic for comparative analysis of linguistic features, which contributes to a deeper understanding of cultural characteristics and emotional manifestations in various cultural contexts. As a result of the study, it turned out that in different cultures there are similarities in the use of metaphors to express shame, which may indicate a universal biological basis for this emotion. However, trends and differences in cognitive processes lead to significant differences between Russians and Chinese in how metaphors are used to express shame. The study of shame metaphors in Russian and Chinese is an important topic for comparative analysis of linguistic features, which contributes to a deeper understanding of cultural characteristics and emotional manifestations in various cultural contexts.

Actual Problems of Cognitive Linguistics at the Present Stage

This article is devoted to the study of the historical and scientific prerequisites for the formation of a young, developing, and at the same time controversial and controversial scientific branch of linguistics - cognitive linguistics. The goals, object and subject of research in this field of knowledge are determined by theoretical and methodological principles that are formed on the basis of the cognitive-oriented work of Kazakh and foreign linguists. The continuation of the research traditions of cognitive linguistics, which is gaining popularity among Kazakh researchers, is noted. The theoretical and scientific basis of the research are such linguistic areas as frame and conceptual semantics, prototypical semantics, the theory of relevance (or linguistic emphasis), the theory of cognitive models and cognitive metaphor, the theory of mental spaces. Special attention is paid to the problems of the English language in comparison with other language groups, which creates difficulties in linguists relying on traditional approaches to the study of the language system. The identified specific features in the use of English prepositions, modal verbs, the use of participles, the category of voice, tense, aspect, mood, as well as some difficulties in coordinating tenses lead researchers to the need to use linguo-cognitive methods of cognition. The establishment of a close and complex relationship between language and the process of thinking, cognition is accepted as an evidence-based advantage of the study. The data obtained as a result of the analysis are based on logical, deductive, comparative linguistic research methods. The tools used to assess the current problems of modern cognitive linguistics can be of applied significance and be used in international scientific communities to improve approaches to language learning. The scientific and practical significance of this study lies in the search for possible ways and implementation of identification opportunities, as well as a comprehensive study of the most pressing problems, reflecting the urgent need for further development of this scientific field.

Когнитивни аспекти на метафорите в съвременните български политически речи

The development follows two sides of the manifestation of cognitive metaphors as a communicative mechanism in contemporary Bulgarian political discourse: the rhetorical aspects of Bulgarian political communication; the linguistic-communicative features of cognitive metaphors in political speech, through which they function as a mechanism for interaction between the parties of political discourse. An important direction in the course of the study is to clarify the mechanisms by which the interaction between the parties in communication is realized. In this regard, several specific features of the national political discourse can be identified: the authority of the speaker and his ability to control all levels in the structure of the context of the political message; the dominant role of individual discourse; aggressive linguistic presence in communication; the dominant presence of conversational speech at the expense of the official; manipulation of objectivity; low level of informative ness. The cognitive and semantic aspects of metaphors in contemporary Bulgarian political discourse impose the following differentiation of their features: specificity of archetypal metaphors - the possibility of the basic metaphor to be reproduced as a stable cognitive core in the contemporary political communicative act; specificity of variant metaphors - the cognitive projection of the archetypal metaphor and its inscription in a new metaphorical perspective (cognitive range of metaphors path and body); cognitive links between the source sphere, the conceptual sphere and the target sphere - the associative link between the target and the source is the specificity of the cognitive metaphor, and all variant projections between them make up the volume of the conceptual sphere. The summary affects the function of cognitive metaphorical models in Bulgarian political discourse.

A Comparative Analysis of Left and Right Spatial Metaphors in Chinese and Vietnamese: An Interlinguistic Study

Metaphors pervade our daily lives and thinking, serving not just as rhetorical devices but as tools for understanding the world. Humans have developed various spatial orientations based on their understanding of themselves and the objective world. However, due to different value systems, each ethnicity perceives these orientations differently. This paper compares the spatial metaphors of "left" and "right" in Chinese and Vietnamese from a cognitive metaphor perspective. It reveals that due to cultural differences, the languages exhibit both corresponding and non-corresponding metaphorical relationships. Understanding these similarities and differences deepens our knowledge of the expression of metaphorical cognition in Chinese, as well as the psychological and thought patterns of the Chinese people.

Cognitive Discourse Analysis of Metaphor in Dhain’s 2020 Drama “Flower and Knife”

This paper presents a critical analysis of “FLOWER AND KNIFE” by Ahmed Yasir Dhain. It was written in 2020. The play represents two couple of notions “love and hate” “flower and knife". Those notions are represented by the number of characters who reflect our views about life. The writer has shown contrastively those notions, which would be in contrastive till unknown time. The study is based on cognitive metaphor analysis, especially the conceptual metaphor. Since the analysis of conceptual metaphor has an important role in discovering the attended messages and the real meaning of the dramatic text through the mapping between the source domain and the target domain. It is also important to discover the ability of the writer to add some new concepts and change the existing ones. The study follows Kövecses' 2002 Conceptual Metaphor Model. It deals with the three types of cognitive metaphor, they are structural, orientational, and ontological. The study is qualitative, it attends to describe and analyze the data critically. It shows how different discourse structures can be critically analyzed by cognitive perceptions. The study aims to analyze the conceptual metaphor as a critical tool. It tries to discover the language's role in constructing concepts through using dramatic devices, especially conceptual metaphors. It aims to criticize the concepts of love, hate, flower, and knife and how they can influence our thoughts and construct new ones. It also aims to find out the connection between conceptual metaphor and critical discourse analysis. Based on the paper literature review and the result of data analysis, the study finds that the play is full of conceptual metaphor expressions which attend to a conceptual change. It shows that the conflict between love and hate is a conflict between man and woman in society. Women can be flowers and knives at the same time. The paper shows that the writer has used all the three types of conceptual metaphor in order to support the love purity which can destroy all hates. He wants to tell us that love can be a source of life.

Healing or hesitation? The impact of anthropomorphism on consumers' repair intentions for products

Anthropomorphism has been recognized as a powerful marketing tool that imbues products with life, enhancing the feeling of aliveness for consumers. Despite the popularity of research on this topic, little attention has been given to its impact on consumers' repair behaviors after purchase. Based on cognitive metaphor theory, this study seeks to understand the influence, mechanism, and boundary of anthropomorphism on consumers' intentions to repair products. Results show that anthropomorphism leads consumers to overestimate a product's self-healing capability, consequently affecting their repair intentions. Specifically, (a) anthropomorphism reduces consumers' repair intentions; (b) the perception of self-healing ability mediates this effect; and (c) the gender features of products moderate the relationship. Consumers exhibit lower repair intentions towards products with more masculine characteristics compared to those with more feminine attributes. This research offers an insightful look into how consumers interact with anthropomorphic products and provides businesses with valuable guidelines on how to develop product renewal strategies.

Virtual geo-cyber environments: metaphorical visualization of virtual cyberspace with geographical knowledge

ABSTRACT Cyberspace is a dynamic and complex environment that poses unique challenges in understanding and managing its intricacies. In this study, we developed a framework for ‘Geo-Cyber’ spatial correlation mapping and expression, leveraging geographical information to enhance the understanding of cyberspace. The theory of geographic metaphor is incorporated into the framework to provide a comprehensive and intuitive approach for comprehending the interplay between geographic space and cyberspace. The framework enables the modeling and visual expression of geo-cyber correlations using a layered knowledge-graph representation. To graphically represent the complex knowledge graph within cyberspace, the framework uses an ‘Object-VirtualObject-Process-Decision’ layered modeling approach, which facilitates effective navigation and comprehension of the inherent cyberspace dynamics. Based on the experimental data, we employed a virtual geo-cyber environment system to demonstrate the effectiveness of the framework. The application cases include resource navigation and situational awareness in cyberspace to showcase the practicality and relevance of the proposed framework. The analysis indicated that the framework enhances situational awareness, facilitates effective decision-making, and promotes a holistic comprehension of the interplay between geography and cyberspace by leveraging geographic information and incorporating metaphorical cognition, layered modeling, and visualization techniques.

A linguistic picture of the world: conceptualization of the human body in the poetry of Emily Dickinson

The paper focuses on the linguistic picture of the body in the poetry of Emily Dickinson, a 19th-Century American poet. The aim is to provide a coherent linguistic picture of the body of Dickinson’s lyric subject and to reconstruct the way she conceptualized and portrayed its physical appearance with regard to the artist’s perception of the self. This research is focused on cognitive ethnolinguistics, the methodology utilizes analytic and interpretative techniques with emphasis on the cognitive definition reconstruction and facet parametrization. The research sample consists of the selected poems in which the poet refers to the body of her lyric subject. This research has allowed for the identification of the following facets into which the conceptualization of Dickinson’s perception of the body can be categorized: 1) the perspective of the body as a spirit-encompassing vessel; 2) the body as a reflection of the social oppression experienced by women in the nineteenth century; 3) the facet of the body size, and 4) the ephemerality of the physical body. The identified facets overlap to some extent, but together they form a unified picture which reveals certain aspects of cognitive metaphor theory, such as the conceptual metaphor of a container. This unified picture also reveals literary and linguistic reflections of socio-cultural aspects of the 19th-Century America such as the tendency to diminish the female lyric subject.

Conventional metaphorical scenarios of humor in Romanian

Abstract The way humorous verbal communication is construed in a linguaculture can be analyzed within the framework of cognitive metaphor theory and its more discursive and cultural developments. Cognitive/conceptual metaphors are instrumental for framing humor as a communicative form which goes beyond mere aesthetic experience. This article focuses on the conceptualization of verbal forms of humor in Romanian. The examples are retrieved mainly from internet mediated communication, backed by corpus analysis, and compared to older literary examples (19th–early 20th century). The examples illustrate the stability of various metaphorical scenarios in the Romanian linguaculture. The analysis reveals that several conventional metaphorical scenarios exist in parallel, displaying what are the functions of humor in an emic perspective. In the case of the Romanian examples, the list comprises the disciplinary, aesthetic, and therapeutic functions. The main metaphorical scenarios are subsumed to (physical) aggression, food, and health domains. The scenarios associated with each domain emphasize a certain function: for example, the disciplinary function of humor relates to physical aggression, while the aesthetic function relates to food. However, the conventional scenarios also show combinations between these functions.