World-switch and mind style in The Barracks: a cognitive approach to ideology

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-59
Author(s):  
Salvador Alarcón-Hermosilla
Keyword(s):  
Figurative Language ◽  
World View ◽  
Cognitive Grammar ◽  
Irish Society ◽  
Frame Semantics ◽  
Cognitive Approach ◽  
Conceptual Metaphor Theory ◽  
Minor Characters ◽  
Metaphor Theory ◽  
Linguistic Level

Abstract The aim of this paper is to take a close look at John McGahern’s mind style through the language of the heroine Elizabeth Reegan and other characters, in his 1963 novel The Barracks. Specifically, attention will be drawn to how the linguistic choices shape the figurative language to cast the author’s controversial views on the religion-pervaded puritan Irish society that he knew so well. This will be done from two different perspectives. One perspective is through the breast cancer afflicted heroine, who asserts herself as a free thinker and a woman of science, in a society where priests have a strong influence at all social levels, and most women settle for housekeeping. The other is also through Elizabeth, together with other minor characters, who dare question some of the basic well-established ideological assumptions, in a series of examples where the author skilfully raises two parallel dichotomies, namely, FAITH versus REASON, and DARKNESS versus LIGHT. At a linguistic level, the present analysis relies on precepts from Frame Semantics, Conceptual Metaphor Theory, and Cognitive Grammar. These insights prove a most useful method of approach to a narrative text while unearthing the author’s ideological world view.

Integrating constructional semantics and conceptual metaphor

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Linguistics ◽  
Conceptual Metaphor ◽  
Conceptual Structure ◽  
Unified Model ◽  
Cognitive Grammar ◽  
Frame Semantics ◽  
Conceptual Metaphor Theory ◽  
Conceptual Structures ◽  
Metaphoric Language ◽  
Metaphor Theory

Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) aims to represent the conceptual structure of metaphors rather than the structure of metaphoric language. The theory does not explain which aspects of metaphoric language evoke which conceptual structures, for example. However, other theories within cognitive linguistics may be better suited to this task. These theories, once integrated, should make building a unified model of both the conceptual and linguistic aspects of metaphor possible. First, constructional approaches to syntax provide an explanation of how particular constructional slots are associated with different functions in evoking metaphor. Cognitive Grammar is especially effective in this regard. Second, Frame Semantics helps explain how the words or phrases that fill the relevant constructional slots evoke the source and target domains of metaphor. Though these theories do not yet integrate seamlessly, their combination already offers explanatory benefits, such as allowing generalizations across metaphoric and non-metaphoric language, and identifying the words that play a role in evoking metaphors, for example.

scholarly journals A Cognitive Approach to EkeGusii Pop Songs

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 166
Author(s):  
Victor Ondara Ntabo ◽  
Moses Gatambuki Gathigia ◽  
Naom Moraa Nyarigoti
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Metaphor ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Cognitive Approach ◽  
Conceptual Metaphor Theory ◽  
Identification Procedure ◽  
Metaphor Theory ◽  
Great Chain Of Being ◽  
Folk Conception ◽  
Different Levels

A review of literature on pop songs reveals that composers use metaphors to communicate their feelings. In particular, the meaning of the metaphors in EkeGusii pop songs needs to be interpreted to reveal the message of the composers. The EkeGusii pop singer Christopher Mosioma’s (Embarambamba) songs have gained fame in Kenya because of their richness in the usage of metaphors. One of Christopher Mosioma’s songs, amasomo (education) which was launched in 2015 has gained acclaim from Kenyans. The song amasomo (education) is basically presented as a piece of advice to students to embrace education in order to optimally reap from its benefits. The study identified 10 metaphors in the song amasomo (education) through the Metaphor Identification Procedure Vrije Universiteit. In order to interpret the metaphors in the EkeGusii pop song amasomo (education), the Conceptual Metaphor Theory complemented by the folk conception of the generic Great Chain of Being Metaphor were employed. The study employed four coders (including the researchers) in the identification of the metaphors. The study found that, inter alia, animal, plant and object metaphors are used in the song amasomo (education). The study concludes that the metaphors in the EkeGusii pop songs belong inherently to different levels of the generic Great Chain of Being Metaphor.

Automatic metaphor detection using constructions and frames

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 295-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jisup Hong
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Metaphor ◽  
Detection System ◽  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Computational Resource ◽  
Frame Semantics ◽  
Conceptual Metaphor Theory ◽  
Relative Success ◽  
Metaphor Theory ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Conceptual Network

This paper presents MetaNet’s automatic metaphor detection system that applies theoretical principles from construction grammar, frame semantics, and recent developments in conceptual metaphor theory, including the theory of cascades (Lakoff 2014). The system has achieved relative success in identifying metaphorical expressions for a range of target domains from large corpora and holds promise as a useful tool for corpus-based study of metaphor. The detection system relies on MetaNet’s conceptual network of frames and metaphors as a computational resource for its functionality, and improves automatically as the representations stored in the network are built up. In addition, because of its theoretically principled design the system’s level of accuracy at identifying metaphorical expressions provides feedback to linguists about the accuracy of the frame and metaphor analyses in the network.

A cognitive approach to early conservatism

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 234-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pascal Fischer
Keyword(s):  
French Revolution ◽  
The Political ◽  
Upward Movement ◽  
Downward Movement ◽  
Cognitive Approach ◽  
Conceptual Metaphor Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Metaphor Theory ◽  
George Lakoff ◽  
The One

Conservatism is notoriously difficult to define. In the present study, conceptual metaphor theory is used to elucidate the nature of this ideology in its early phase when it emerged in England as a force struggling with the ideas of the French Revolution. It can be shown that conservative authors frequently do not conform to the pattern of orientational metaphors described by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson (1980), according to which “up” is usually regarded as positive and “down” as negative. Conservatives often associate their own ideas with depth or a downward movement, whereas the loathed ideas of the political opponents are related to height or an upward movement. This dichotomy is closely connected to the polarity between solidity, stability and weight on the one hand and gaseity, volatility and lightness on the other. The study bases its analysis on numerous political tracts, pamphlets, and novels from the 1790s and early 1800s.

scholarly journals Coping with Metaphor. A cognitive approach to translating metaphor

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (35) ◽  
pp. 183
Author(s):  
Astrid Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Basic Assumption ◽  
Cognitive Approach ◽  
Conceptual Metaphor Theory ◽  
Translation Strategies ◽  
Young Professional ◽  
Extensive Training ◽  
Metaphor Theory ◽  
Linguistic Phenomenon

The present article focuses on the translation of metaphor by expert translators, young professional translators and non-professional translators. The approach adopted here treats translation of metaphor as a conceptual rather than a purely linguistic phenomenon, based on the framework sometimes referred to as conceptual metaphor theory (CMT), which is based on Lakoff & Johnson (1980) and Lakoff & Turner (1989). The basic assumption behind this study is that translating metaphor requires translator competence, which among other things entails an awareness of the duality of the metaphor as both a mental concept and linguistic expressions. It is further assumed that translation competence is developed through extensive training and translation experience. The study starts with a qualitative analysis of the metaphorical expressions and translation strategies in the sample texts, followed by a quantitative analysis whereby the frequencies of metaphor transference across languages and across groups are counted.

scholarly journals Fight metaphors in Spain’s presidential speeches: J.L. Rodríguez Zapatero (2004-2007)

2009 ◽  
pp. 127 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Josefa Hellín García
Keyword(s):  
Political Ideology ◽  
Terrorist Attack ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
Discursive Construction ◽  
Cognitive Approach ◽  
Conceptual Metaphor Theory ◽  
Metaphor Theory ◽  
Critical Metaphor Analysis ◽  
Political Speeches ◽  
Research Questions

This article investigates the metaphorical conceptualization of terrorism by president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, who came into power soon after the biggest terrorist attack in Spain on March 11th, 2004. Specifically, it examines how terrorism is conceptualized via metaphors through the notion of fight, and their conceptual implication in discourse. I will refer to these as Fight Metaphors. The research questions addressed are as follows: 1. What Fight Metaphors are used in the discursive construction of terrorism? 2. How do Fight Metaphors contribute to support Zapatero’s anti-terrorism political agenda? I follow a combination of a cognitive and a pragmatic approach from a corpus-based analysis perspective. The cognitive approach is based on Lakoff’s Conceptual Metaphor Theory (1993), and the pragmatic one is based on Charteris-Back’s Critical Metaphor Analysis (2004). The corpus of investigation comprises 58 Spanish political speeches over a three-year period (2004-2007). Findings reveal that Fight Metaphors constitute the pivotal node that simultaneously performs various functions at several levels: cognitive, rhetorical, and ideological in order to promote his anti-terrorism political ideology.

scholarly journals CONCEPTUALISATIONS OF ANGER IN ENGLISH IDIOMS. AN ANALYSIS BASED ON THE EXTENDED CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR THEORY

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Dobiášová
Keyword(s):  
Crucial Role ◽  
Figurative Language ◽  
Conceptual Metaphor ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Conceptual Metaphor Theory ◽  
Heat Element ◽  
Image Schemas ◽  
Language Analysis ◽  
Metaphor Theory ◽  
Idiomatic Meaning

The article combines the approach to idiom classification according to Langlotz (2006) and the recently suggested analytical framework for figurative language analysis known under the name of the Extended Conceptual Metaphorical Theory (Kovecses 2020). The aim of the article is to identify some of the conceptual pathways of ANGER idioms in English. The analysis of 37 idioms for expressing ANGER revealed that both metaphorical (e.g. go through/hit the root) and metonymic (e.g. make someone's hackles rise) motivations play a crucial role in the transparency of the idiomatic meaning. It was also concluded that three image schemas in particular play a crucial role in metaphorical idioms for expressing the concept of ANGER in English: ACTIVITY IS MOTIO N, INTENSITY OF ACTIVITY IS HEAT and ANGER IS HEAT. However, contrary to the HEAT element, which is particularly salient in linguistic metaphors for expressing ANGER (e.g. kindle the wrath), it is the MOTION element which plays the crucial role in the conceptualizations of ANGER in idioms in English (e.g. go through/hit the roof, flip the lid, fly off the handle).

The conceptual metaphor of joy

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-150
Author(s):  
Oana-Maria Păstae ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Linguistics ◽  
Conceptual Metaphor ◽  
Cognitive Model ◽  
Conceptual System ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Cognitive Approach ◽  
Conceptual Metaphor Theory ◽  
Conceptual Metaphors ◽  
Basic Premise ◽  
Metaphor Theory

The purpose of this paper is to study how ‘joy’, an emotional concept, is metaphorised in English from a cognitive perspective. It introduces the theoretical framework of Cognitive Linguistics, then briefly touches upon the definition of metaphor, the different types of conceptual metaphors and, finally, the conceptual metaphors of ‘joy’. We think in metaphors, which we learn very early. Our conceptual system, in terms of what we both think and act, is fundamentally metaphorical in nature (Lakoff, & Johnson 2003: 8). Lakoff and Johnson’s book Metaphors we live by changed the way linguists thought about metaphor. Conceptual Metaphor Theory was one of the earliest theoretical frameworks identified as part of the cognitive semantics enterprise and provided much of the early theoretical impetus for the cognitive approach. The basic premise of Conceptual Metaphor Theory is that metaphor is not simply a stylistic feature of language, but that thought itself is fundamentally metaphorical in nature. The cognitive model of joy can be described using the example of Lakoff for anger: JOY IS A FLUID IN A CONTAINER: She was bursting with joy; JOY IS HEAT/FIRE: Fires of joy were kindled by the birth of her son; joy is a natural force: I was overwhelmed by joy; JOY IS A SOCIAL SUPERIOR: If I ruled the world by joy; JOY IS AN OPPONENT: She was seized by joy; joy is a captive animal: All joy broke loose as the kids opened their presents; JOY IS INSANITY: The crowd went crazy with joy; JOY IS A FORCE DISLOCATING THE SELF: He was beside himself with joy.

‘The explosive devices of memory’: trauma and the construction of identity in narrative

2006 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean McAlister
Keyword(s):  
Textual Analysis ◽  
Conceptual Metaphor ◽  
The Other ◽  
Conceptual Blending ◽  
Cognitive Approach ◽  
Conceptual Metaphor Theory ◽  
Construction Of Identity ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Metaphor Theory ◽  
Explosive Devices

This article attempts to show how a cognitive approach to textual analysis can function alongside other critical methodologies. Helen Weinzweig's novel Basic Black with Pearlsis an examination of the effects of trauma on the psyche, and in particular on its construction and maintenance of a sense of identity. As Shirley, the novel's narrator, struggles to locate the various aspects of her own identity, so too is the reader forced to experience this struggle in the act of attempting to construct for Shirley an identity out of her fragmented and discontinuous narrative. I approach this interpretational problem from two perspectives. Making use primarily of the work by Caruth, I demonstrate how Weinzweig's text might be read according to a canonical trauma paradigm. On the other hand, I consider Weinzweig's text within a cognitive stylistic framework, making use of Turner and Fauconnier's theory of conceptual blending and its various incarnations, as well as Lakoff's conceptual metaphor theory. With these methodologies, the article proposes an account of the specific stylistic differences between the narrative representation of identity and that of identity in trauma.

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