John Benjamins Publishing Company
10. Mapping principles for conceptual metaphors
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Kathleen Ahrens
Abstract
Issues surrounding novel metaphor comprehension are not well understood. In order to address this problem, this paper proposes the Conceptual Mapping Model, which puts forward the idea that examining the linguistic mappings found in a particular source-target domain pairing allows hypotheses to be formulated regarding the underlying reason for this conceptual pairing. These hypotheses are formulated as Mapping Principles and allow for predictions regarding novel metaphor usage to be made. Four experimental studies on native Mandarin Chinese speakers demonstrate that novel metaphors that follow Mapping Principles receive significantly lower acceptability and interpretability ratings than conventional metaphors, as well as longer listening times when making these judgments. In addition, novel metaphors that do not follow Mapping Principles receive significantly lower acceptability and interpretability ratings than novel metaphors that do follow Mapping Principles, as well as longer listening times. In sum, the Conceptual Mapping Model proposes that a contrastive linguistic analysis of conventional conceptual metaphors can increase our understanding as to why conceptual domains are linked, which in turn will facilitate our ability to predict and model how conceptual metaphors are processed in both conventional and novel usages.
Abstract
Issues surrounding novel metaphor comprehension are not well understood. In order to address this problem, this paper proposes the Conceptual Mapping Model, which puts forward the idea that examining the linguistic mappings found in a particular source-target domain pairing allows hypotheses to be formulated regarding the underlying reason for this conceptual pairing. These hypotheses are formulated as Mapping Principles and allow for predictions regarding novel metaphor usage to be made. Four experimental studies on native Mandarin Chinese speakers demonstrate that novel metaphors that follow Mapping Principles receive significantly lower acceptability and interpretability ratings than conventional metaphors, as well as longer listening times when making these judgments. In addition, novel metaphors that do not follow Mapping Principles receive significantly lower acceptability and interpretability ratings than novel metaphors that do follow Mapping Principles, as well as longer listening times. In sum, the Conceptual Mapping Model proposes that a contrastive linguistic analysis of conventional conceptual metaphors can increase our understanding as to why conceptual domains are linked, which in turn will facilitate our ability to predict and model how conceptual metaphors are processed in both conventional and novel usages.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Editors’ introduction vii
- 1. The wonderful, chaotic, creative, heroic, challenging world of Researching and Applying Metaphor 1
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1. Metaphor and language learning
- 2. Can people be cold and warm? 21
- 3. Grasping the point 35
- 4. “Drugs, traffic, and many other dirty interests” 63
- 5. The gaps to be filled 81
- 6. A cross-cultural study of metaphoric understanding 105
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2. Capturing and analysing metaphors
- 7. Love, metaphor and responsibility 125
- 8. A critical look at the desktop metaphor 30 years on 145
- 9. Pragglejaz in practice 165
- 10. Mapping principles for conceptual metaphors 185
- 11. Systematicity in metaphor and the use of invariant mappings 209
- 12. Attitude, style and context 245
- 13. A genre approach to imagery in winespeak 265
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3. The function of metaphor in discourse
- 14. Wot no similes? 291
- 15. Metaphor marking and metaphor typological and functional ranges in business periodicals 309
- 16. Critical analysis of creative metaphors in political speeches 321
- 17. Metaphor in physical-and-speech action expressions 333
- 18. The evaluative properties of metaphors 357
- Index of names 375
- Index of terms 381
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Editors’ introduction vii
- 1. The wonderful, chaotic, creative, heroic, challenging world of Researching and Applying Metaphor 1
-
1. Metaphor and language learning
- 2. Can people be cold and warm? 21
- 3. Grasping the point 35
- 4. “Drugs, traffic, and many other dirty interests” 63
- 5. The gaps to be filled 81
- 6. A cross-cultural study of metaphoric understanding 105
-
2. Capturing and analysing metaphors
- 7. Love, metaphor and responsibility 125
- 8. A critical look at the desktop metaphor 30 years on 145
- 9. Pragglejaz in practice 165
- 10. Mapping principles for conceptual metaphors 185
- 11. Systematicity in metaphor and the use of invariant mappings 209
- 12. Attitude, style and context 245
- 13. A genre approach to imagery in winespeak 265
-
3. The function of metaphor in discourse
- 14. Wot no similes? 291
- 15. Metaphor marking and metaphor typological and functional ranges in business periodicals 309
- 16. Critical analysis of creative metaphors in political speeches 321
- 17. Metaphor in physical-and-speech action expressions 333
- 18. The evaluative properties of metaphors 357
- Index of names 375
- Index of terms 381
