Semantics: a coursebook, second edition
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| Non-literal meaning: idioms, metaphor, and metonymy
343 a THE MIND IS A MACHINE b LOVE IS A PHYSICAL FORCE c LOVE IS A (MEDICAL) PATIENT d LOVE IS WAR e LIFE IS A CONTAINER 5 We have already seen that an important abstract concept, such as IDEA, can be structured by means of multiple metaphors, each of which gives a slightly di fferent perspective on how the concept can be understood. This range of metaphors allows us to understand the concept better. The metaphors already illustrated structure the domain of IDEAS in terms of the more concrete source domains MONEY, PEOPLE, and PLANTS. Try to find one or two additional metaphors for structuring the abstract IDEA domain using other source domains and give several English examples for each. 6 We have seen that orientational metaphors are externally systematic. LJ note that they are also ‘internally systematic’ in that each metaphor ‘de fines a coherent system rather than a number of isolated and random cases’. In other words, all expressions involving UP evoke the same kind of experience. For example, I’m feeling up is another example of the HAPPY IS UP metaphor, but the metaphor would be incoherent if saying My spirits rose meant ‘I became sadder.’ In an earlier practice you categorized several isolated sentences according to the particular kind of UP orientational metaphor they re flected. See if you can come up with some additional examples that are internally systematic with the examples already given for some of the UP metaphors mentioned earlier. a HEALTH IS UP e GOOD IS UP b HAVING CONTROL/FORCE IS UP f VIRTUE IS UP c MORE IS UP g HIGH STATUS IS UP d HAPPY IS UP 7 The opposite of UP is DOWN. For each of the UP metaphors in exercise 6 find one or two examples of the corresponding DOWN metaphor (if it exists) and name the metaphor. Here’s an example: John came down with the flu (SICKNESS IS DOWN). (Note how odd it sounds to say that someone came up with the flu.) 8 We did not discuss the speci fic physical or experiential reasons why the language would have so many orientational metaphors in which UP is associated with positive notions such as being healthy, being good, having more of something, having higher status, etc. Can you explain why these positive notions are associated with UP instead of some other orientation (such as DOWN)? 9 Although most of the orientational metaphors involving UP are coherent with each other in evoking meanings that are positive in some way, there are PA RT S I X Interpersonal and non-literal meaning 344 occasional expressions involving UP which appear not to be coherent with metaphors such as those listed in exercise 6. An example is the expression The answer to that question is up in the air, in which the UP orientation might be argued to be negative in some way. Can you propose the di fferent metaphor that underlies this expression and suggest what experiential basis it has? 10 Try to identify in what particular way the additional ontological metaphors in each sentence below treat an abstract concept as though it were a physical object. Choose from among the following options: referring, quantifying, identifying aspects, identifying causes, setting goals and/or motivating actions. a I could see the intensity with which she worked b They did that out of compassion for the poor c There is too much hatred in the world d I’m looking forward to finding a solution to this problem e The brutality of aggression is a major factor in many con flicts f They are working toward peace in the world 11 In an earlier practice you matched an example sentence with the kind of metonymy it represented. For each kind of metonymy below give at least three additional sentences that represent it. For item (h) see if you can find another kind of metonymy and give some examples. a THE PLACE FOR THE EVENT b THE PART FOR THE WHOLE c OBJECT USED FOR USER d THE PLACE FOR THE INSTITUTION e PRODUCER FOR PRODUCT f CONTROLLER FOR CONTROLLED g INSTITUTION FOR PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE h ................................................................................... 12 What kind of metonymy is re flected in the following sets of sentences? A a I have to fill the car with gas (Hint: what is literally being filled here?) b I need to use the bathroom c China won the championship Metonymy: ............................................................................. B a The pot is boiling (Hint: what is literally boiling here?) b Room 44 needs more towels c The bus in front of us decided to turn left Metonymy: ............................................................................. 345 SELECTED REFERENCES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY References The material in Unit 8 dealing with prototype e ffects in the semantics of color is from the following influential book. Brent Berlin and Paul Kay, Basic Color Terms: Their Universality and tải về 1.74 Mb. Chia sẻ với bạn bè của bạn:
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