The conceptual metaphor theory

Basic concepts and assumptions

• By the use of metaphors the ability to
understand and to express in language the
experience of the world unbelievably
increases.

.
• By the use of metaphors the ability to
understand and to express in language the
experience of the world unbelievably
increases.
• It allows people to go beyond the immediate
experience .and to extend the language in an
unlimited way.
 Conceptual metaphor
• Understanding one conceptual domain in
terms of another conceptual domain.
 Conceptual metaphor
• Understanding one conceptual domain in
terms of another conceptual domain.

• A conceptual domain - any coherent

organisation of experience.
LIFE; LOVE; BEING SAD; LIGHT; ECONOMY; WAR, etc.
 Conceptual metaphor
Is that the foundation for
your theory?
The theory needs more
support.
We need to construct a
strong argument for
that.
The theory will stand or
fall on the strength of
that argument.
 Conceptual metaphor
Is that the foundation for
your theory? THEORIES ARE
The theory needs more BUILDINGS
support.
We need to construct a
strong argument for
that.
The theory will stand or
fall on the strength of
that argument.
 Conceptual metaphor
Is that the foundation for
your theory? THEORIES ARE
The theory needs more BUILDINGS
support.
We need to construct a
strong argument for CONCEPTUAL
that. DOMAIN (A) IS
The theory will stand or CONCEPTUAL
fall on the strength of
that argument. DOMAIN (B)
 Correspondences between domains
SOURCE DOMAIN (BUILDING) TARGET DOMAIN (THEORY)

the foundation of a building the basis of the theory

support evidence

strength plausibility

construction creation

collapse of a building fall of a theory

 mappings
• There is a set of systematic correspondences
or mappings between the source and the
target.
• It means that constituent conceptual
elements of the source correspond to
constituent elements of the target.
 ARGUMENT IS WAR
• Your claims are indefensible.
• He attacked every weak point in my argument.
• His criticisms were right on target.
• I’ve never won an argument with him.
• If you use that strategy, he’ll wipe you out.
 TIME IS MONEY
• You’re wasting my time.
• This gadget will save you hours.
• How do you spend your time these days?
• That flat tire cost me an hour.
• You don’t use your time profitably.
 LIFE IS A JOURNEY
• He’s without direction in life.
• I’m at a crossroads in my life.
• She’s gone through a lot in life.
• He’s gone (= died).
metaphor vs. metaphorical linguistic expression

metaphor metaphorical linguistic

expression
THEORIES ARE BUILDINGS Is that the foundation for
your theory?
ARGUMENT IS WAR Your claims are
indefensible.
TIME IS MONEY You’re wasting my time.

LIFE IS A JOURNEY He’s without direction in

life.
 Common source domains
• the human body (the heart of the problem)
• health and illness (a healthy society, she hurt my feelings)
• animals (a cow, a bitch)
• plants (the fruits of her labour, exports flourished)
• buildings and construction (he's in ruins financially)
• machines and tools (conceptual tools, she produces a book)
• games and sport (to toy with the idea)
• money and economic transactions (spending time, investing in a
relationship)
• cooking and food (to cook up a story, a recipe for success)
• heat and cold (a cold reception, icy stare)
• light and darkness (a dark mood, a cloud of suspicion)
• forces (he's driving me nuts)
• movement and direction (he went crazy, inflation is soaring)
 Common target domains
• emotion
• desire
• morality
• thought
• society/nation
• politics
• economy
• human relationships
• communication
• time
• life and death
• religion
• events and actions
 Classification of metaphors
• conceptual metaphors are classified according
to:
– conventionality
– cognitive function
Classification according to conventionality

• Conventional conceptual metaphors - well-

entrenched ways of thinking about or
understanding an abstract domain (often
expressed by conventional linguistic
expressions).
Classification according to conventionality

• Unconventional conceptual metaphors

– unconventional linguistic expression
– unconventional source-target connection
 The cognitive function of metaphors
• Ontological metaphors
• Structural metaphors
• Orientational metaphors
 The cognitive function of metaphors
• Ontological metaphors
– They give ontological status to abstract or vague
concepts (i.e. we think and talk of them as if they
were THINGS).
– They allow us to refer to, quantify, to identify
more diffuse aspects of our experience.
 The cognitive function of metaphors
• Ontological metaphors – examples
– Give me a call. (an event is a physical object)
– my mind (a possessed physical object)
– in love (an emotional state is a container)
– Life has cheated me. (life is a person;
personification)

Ontological metaphors can be elaborated into

structural metaphors.
 The cognitive function of metaphors
Structural metaphors
• Their cognitive function is to enable to
understand the target by means of the
structure of the source (by means of
conceptual mappings).
• The source domain provides a relatively rich
knowledge for the target concept.
 The cognitive function of metaphors
Orientational metaphors
• Their cognitive function is to make a set of
target concepts coherent in our conceptual
system.
• They are based on human spatial orientations
(e.g. up-down, centre-periphery, etc.)
 The cognitive function of metaphors
Orientational metaphors
• MORE IS UP: Speak up, please.
• SICK IS DOWN: He fell ill.
• CONTROL IS UP: He is under my control.
• RATIONAL IS UP: The discussion fell to an
emotional level.
 Practice
Identify source and target domains. Label the
metaphor.
1. His ego is very fragile.
2. Inflation has robbed me of my savings.
3. He’s rich in ideas.
4. She has a fertile imagination.
5. Life is empty for him.
6. My fear of insects is driving her crazy.
1. His ego is very fragile.
THE MIND IS A BRITTLE OBJECT
1. Inflation has robbed me of my savings.
INFLATION IS A PERSON
2. He’s rich in ideas.
IDEAS ARE MONEY
1. She has a fertile imagination.
IDEAS ARE PLANTS
1. Life is empty for him. LIFE IS A CONTAINER
2. My fear of insects is driving her crazy.
FEAR IS AN OBJECT. FEAR IS A FORCE.
 The partial nature of metaphorical
mappings
• which parts of the source are mapped onto
which parts in the target

• When a metaphor focuses on one or some

aspects of a target concept, then it highlights
that concept (those concepts).
• The other aspects of the concept remain
hidden (out of focus).
 The partial nature of metaphorical
mappings
• e.g. in the metaphor ARGUMENT IS A BUILDING we
do not utilise many elements of the source such as
doors, windows, living in, etc.
 The partial nature of metaphorical
mappings
Several metaphors are used to structure the
concept of argument:
– container metaphor – highlights the content
– war – control over the argument
– journey – progress, content
– building – construction, strength
 Exercise
What aspects of the source and target domains are utilised
and highlighted in the metaphors of love below:
LOVE IS A JOURNEY
It’s been a long bumpy road.
Look how far we’ve come.
LOVE IS A NUTRIENT
I’m starved for love.
LOVE IS A FIRE
He is burning with love
LOVE IS MAGIC
I’m under her spell.
 Exercise
What aspects of the source and target domains are utilised
and highlighted in the metaphors of love below:
LOVE IS A JOURNEY
It’s been a long bumpy road. (progress)
Look how far we’ve come.
LOVE IS A NUTRIENT
I’m starved for love.
LOVE IS A FIRE
He is burning with love
LOVE IS MAGIC
I’m under her spell.
 Exercise
What aspects of the source and target domains are utilised
and highlighted in the metaphors of love below:
LOVE IS A JOURNEY
It’s been a long bumpy road. (progress)
Look how far we’ve come.
LOVE IS A NUTRIENT
I’m starved for love. (desire)
LOVE IS A FIRE
He is burning with love
LOVE IS MAGIC
I’m under her spell.
 Exercise
What aspects of the source and target domains are utilised
and highlighted in the metaphors of love below:
LOVE IS A JOURNEY
It’s been a long bumpy road. (progress)
Look how far we’ve come.
LOVE IS A NUTRIENT
I’m starved for love. (desire)
LOVE IS A FIRE
He is burning with love (intensity)
LOVE IS MAGIC
I’m under her spell.
 Exercise
What aspects of the source and target domains are utilised
and highlighted in the metaphors of love below:
LOVE IS A JOURNEY
It’s been a long bumpy road. (progress)
Look how far we’ve come.
LOVE IS A NUTRIENT
I’m starved for love. (desire)
LOVE IS A FIRE
He is burning with love (intensity)
LOVE IS MAGIC
I’m under her spell. (loss of control)
 The concept of sadness: an analysis
• Identify the conceptual metaphors manifested by these
examples.
• Which aspects of sadness are highlighted and which aspects
are hidden?

Waves of depression came over him.

He brought me down with his remarks.
He is in a dark mood.
I am filled with sorrow.
That was a terrible blow.
Tim heals all sorrows.
He was insane with grief.
He drowned his sorrow in drink.
His feelings of misery got out of hand.
She was ruled by sorrow.
Waves of depression came over him.
SADNESS IN A NATURAL FORCE
Highlighted: passivity, lack of control
Hidden: cause, attempt at control, behavioural
responses (?)
He brought me down with his remarks.
SAD IS DOWN
Highlighted: negative character
Hidden: cause, attempt at control
He is in a dark mood.
SAD IS DARK
Highlighted: negative character
Hidden: cause, attempt t control
I am filled with sorrow.
SADNESS IS A FLUID IN A CONTAINER
Highlighted: intensity, attempt at control, loss of
control
Hidden: negative character
That was a terrible blow.
SADNESS IS A PHYSICAL FORCE
Highlighted: passivity, sudden impact
Hidden: cause, attempt at control, behavioral
responses
Tim heals all sorrows.
SADNESS IS A DISEASE
Highlighted: negative character, passivity,
behavioral responses
Hidden: attempt at control
He was insane with grief.
SADNESS IS INSANITY
Highlighted: lack of control
Hidden: attempt at control
He drowned his sorrow in drink.
SADNESS IS AN OPPONENT
Highlighted: attempt at control
Hidden: passivity
His feelings of misery got out of hand.
SADNESS IS A CAPTIVE ANIMAL
Highlighted: loss of control
Hidden: passivity
She was ruled by sorrow.
SADNESS IS A SOCIAL SUPERIOR
Highlighted: lack of control
Hidden: attempt at control