Chapter 10. Mid hefigum byrþenum
-
Penelope Scott
Abstract
Conceptual Metaphor Theory lays a strong emphasis on embodiment; Lakoff and Johnson (1980: 257) for example maintain that “many primary metaphors are universal because everybody has basically the same kinds of bodies and brains”. It might be expected therefore that metaphors grounded in sensory-motor experience will take similar forms cross-culturally. However, the status of weight as a source domain in Old English shows that although the conceptual metaphor difficulties are burdens might be grounded in sensory-motor experience, the various weight-related metaphors arising in the domains of discipline, religion, labour, and health cannot be explained without accounting for the cultural conceptualizations upon which they rest (Sharifian 2011; Yu 2009). This study therefore affirms the role of socio-cultural influence on metaphorical conceptualization. The study is based primarily on a semasiological analysis of hefig ‘heavy’, with data taken from the Dictionary of Old English Web Corpus (Healey et al. 2009), and the Dictionary of Old English (Cameron et al. 2016). This paper situates the Old English burden metaphor within a network of cultural metaphors and culturally-specific proposition-schemas (Quinn 1987), shining light both on the nature of conceptual metaphor, and on Anglo-Saxon world-views.
Abstract
Conceptual Metaphor Theory lays a strong emphasis on embodiment; Lakoff and Johnson (1980: 257) for example maintain that “many primary metaphors are universal because everybody has basically the same kinds of bodies and brains”. It might be expected therefore that metaphors grounded in sensory-motor experience will take similar forms cross-culturally. However, the status of weight as a source domain in Old English shows that although the conceptual metaphor difficulties are burdens might be grounded in sensory-motor experience, the various weight-related metaphors arising in the domains of discipline, religion, labour, and health cannot be explained without accounting for the cultural conceptualizations upon which they rest (Sharifian 2011; Yu 2009). This study therefore affirms the role of socio-cultural influence on metaphorical conceptualization. The study is based primarily on a semasiological analysis of hefig ‘heavy’, with data taken from the Dictionary of Old English Web Corpus (Healey et al. 2009), and the Dictionary of Old English (Cameron et al. 2016). This paper situates the Old English burden metaphor within a network of cultural metaphors and culturally-specific proposition-schemas (Quinn 1987), shining light both on the nature of conceptual metaphor, and on Anglo-Saxon world-views.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Foreword vii
- Introduction. Language, culture and identity 1
- Chapter 1. Philosophy and philosophical practice 7
- Chapter 2. Translation and transnationality in the Himalaya 23
- Chapter 3. North-South relations in linguistic science 43
- Chapter 4. My journey as an indigenous Xinguan teacher and researcher 63
- Chapter 5. The representation-cohesion-stance hypothesis 75
- Chapter 6. A framing-based account of critical cultural awareness 111
- Chapter 7. Cultural “Signs of life” in politics 141
- Chapter 8. Construing the self in discourse 157
- Chapter 9. Embodiment, personification, identity 181
- Chapter 10. Mid hefigum byrþenum 203
- Chapter 11. Cultural and cognitive aspects of narrative 227
- Chapter 12. How can I persuade you without making self-assertions? 249
- Chapter 13. “Keeping up with the times” 275
- Chapter 14. A study of Chinese non-basic color terms from the perspective of cognitive semantics 295
- Index 317
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Foreword vii
- Introduction. Language, culture and identity 1
- Chapter 1. Philosophy and philosophical practice 7
- Chapter 2. Translation and transnationality in the Himalaya 23
- Chapter 3. North-South relations in linguistic science 43
- Chapter 4. My journey as an indigenous Xinguan teacher and researcher 63
- Chapter 5. The representation-cohesion-stance hypothesis 75
- Chapter 6. A framing-based account of critical cultural awareness 111
- Chapter 7. Cultural “Signs of life” in politics 141
- Chapter 8. Construing the self in discourse 157
- Chapter 9. Embodiment, personification, identity 181
- Chapter 10. Mid hefigum byrþenum 203
- Chapter 11. Cultural and cognitive aspects of narrative 227
- Chapter 12. How can I persuade you without making self-assertions? 249
- Chapter 13. “Keeping up with the times” 275
- Chapter 14. A study of Chinese non-basic color terms from the perspective of cognitive semantics 295
- Index 317
