Conventional Figurative Language Theory and idiom motivation

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-30
Author(s):  
Dmitrij Dobrovol’skij ◽  
Elisabeth Piirainen

AbstractThe central point of discussion is how idiom motivation is reflected in the Conventional Figurative Language Theory. Most lexical units are motivated to a certain extent, i.e. they point to their actual meaning via the meanings of their parts, either parts of their structure or of their conceptual basis. Several types of motivation can be distinguished in the field of phraseology. Apart from the quite small number of idioms where no comprehensible link can be found between the literal reading and the figurative meaning that would allow for a meaningful interpretation of a given expression, all other idioms have to be considered transparent or motivated. Idioms form a very heterogeneous domain in terms of motivation. There are levels of motivation and semantic predictability both from the perspective of a speaker and from the perspective of the semantic structure of a given unit. In this paper, we present a typology of motivation that captures all types of transparent idioms. The typology of idiom motivation connects our theory to the Cognitive Theory of Metaphor and to the Construction Grammar approaches.

Terminology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larissa Timofeeva-Timofeev ◽  
Chelo Vargas-Sierra

Terminologists’ interest in studying the role of metaphor and metaphorical terms in specialized communication has proliferated since the first papers addressing this issue appeared in the 1990s. However, we believe that some facets of terminological meaning still remain overlooked or merit further analysis. This paper attempts to contribute to the study of one of these facets: the figurative meaning of some compound terms used in the domain of luxury marketing and business. In order to present a systematized view of this phenomenon we will adopt some theoretical tools from the Conventional Figurative Language Theory, in order to confirm the validity of some of its postulates for compound term analysis. Next, a contrastive approach between English, Spanish and Russian compound terms will put the theoretical ideas into practice with the aim of illustrating their applied and metalinguistic potential. Some basic conclusions will be offered at the end of the paper.


1970 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 125-141
Author(s):  
Ludmila Torlakova

This study presents a group of Arabic idioms that have as at least one of their components a word denoting a weapon. Handling and using weapons together with exploring their potential is one of the primary experiences people have had. Thus it is worthwhile to investigate how ‘weaponry’ idioms contribute to expanding figuratively the world picture included in the realm of Arabic phraseology. Weaponry idioms are considered here within the framework of general cognitive linguistics and ‘conventional figurative language theory’ as developed by Dmitri Dobrovol’skij and Elisabeth Piirainen. An attempt is made to test whether this framework can accommodate semantic analysis of Arabic idioms containing the concept weapon. Selected phrasemes denoting situation and behavior are examined in order to look into their semantic structure and type of motivation. Since the majority of the idioms studied have been collected from dictionaries, an attempt is made to present a contemporary evaluation and assessment of their use in Modern Standard Arabic based on Internet sources.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-89
Author(s):  
Arini Egi Tiarawati ◽  
Tri Wahyu Retno Ningsih

The aim of this study is to analyze the types of figurative language which found in Ugly Love novel by Colleen Hoover. This study used figurative language theory by Leech to analyze the data which the researcher found in the novel. The method of this study is descriptive qualitative method. The total of the data are 87 data to be analyzed in the types of figurative language. The data will be identify and classify into 8 types of figurative language by Leech. The result of this study found 6 types of figurative language in this Ugly Love novel. That are 33 data of personifications (33 data) , 19 data of similes, 11 data of irony, 10 data of hyperbole, 9 data of metaphors, and 5 data of metonymy. The most of dominant type of figurative language in the Ugly Love novel by Colleen Hoover is personification.


2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-50
Author(s):  
Marina Antonova

The paper focuses on the cognitive foundation of English adjectives that denote mental characteristics of human beings. Several cognitive models have been advanced in an attempt to account for the semantic structure underlying the lexical category in question. After reviewing these models, a method for determining which of them most accurately captures the “cognitive reality” of English adjectival “deep structure” is proposed. The paper concludes with arguments for the inclusion of additional “motion attributes” to Lakoff’s ICM (1987), namely, “guide’s support” and “speed”.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-112
Author(s):  
Chunyi Lei ◽  
Pamies Antonio

Abstract This study, based on the Cognitive Theory of Metaphor and Conventional Figurative Language Theory, presents a cross-linguistic comparison of the idioms on drunkenness in Chinese and Spanish, applying the analytical method with three hierarchical levels (iconic models > archi-metaphors > particular metaphors). The findings show that, on the one hand, though linguistically and culturally very distant, these two languages share some iconic models (i.e. animal, movement, body part, plant and aggression) in their idioms on inebriation; on the other hand, they also have their own ways in expressing drunkenness, due to their particular cultural backgrounds, i.e. religions, superstitions, history, ethnic prejudices, legends, etc. The present investigation also proves the universality of the cognitive thinking model of human beings as well as the cognitive specialization in different cultures, giving an insight into idiom comprehension and intercultural communication.


Aphasiology ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Bournot-trites ◽  
R. F. Jarman ◽  
J. P. Das

Author(s):  
Olga Leonidovna Zimareva ◽  
Svetlana Andreevna Pesina

The aim of the article is to disclose specific features of the cluster method of material organization to the semantic structure analysis of polysemous words. The object of study includes the most frequent polysemous words of Russian and English languages. The words for study should have a developed semantic structure thanks to which intra-word connections and a picture of the semantic component selection in the process of decoding figurative meaning can be visually presented. The main method of analysis is component analysis and consideration of non-trivial semantic components. In the process of word analysis, we intend to discover what underlies the retention of meanings within a single structure. Initially, the idea bases on the existence of some invariant content, which is stored in the folded form in the mind of a native speaker. In the present study, the application of cluster theory to the organization of the polysemous word semantic structure not only confirms the invariant theory, but also brings it to a new level of understanding what the meaning of the word is and how we understand the figurative meaning. Representation of the semantic structure in the form of interconnected semantic components, united in clusters on the basis of a criterion, represents a new approach to understanding the phenomenon of polysemy and explaining the diffusivity of figurative meanings. The configuration of invariant and differential components in the decoding process provides an understanding of figurative meanings. We find confirmation of this theory in the works on neurolinguistics and cognitive psychology.


Author(s):  
Mamadaliev Ahmadali ◽  
Karimova Nodirakhon Abdurashidovna

In this article, verbal lexemes are classified according to the nomination of the activity of nouns. Consequently, they are called upon to denote what is the “characteristic activity” of nouns of specific semantic classes, semantic thematic series and individual lexemes, as well as to the principle of generalization of different semantic classes, a group of thematic series, which is proved on specific verb examples and it is necessary to conclude that verbs can be divided into verbs of narrow and wide nominations, Depending on the semantic structure of verbs, their direct and figurative meanings differ, Often the potential seme of a verb is a concretizer and indicates the semantic class, groups and thematic series of nouns, and thus the verb actualizes its meaning in speech.The starting point of this work is the fact that "there are no objects without properties and relations and properties and relations without objects", therefore, verbs as well as nouns can be subjected to such classifications as nouns, where nouns of being, abstractness, concreteness, animate, inanimate are distinguished, anthroponymy, faunonymy, as well as certain semantic groups, thematic series and at the level of individual lexemes, as indicated by specific examples.Thus, we have to conclude that the verb is designed in the language to designate the characteristic activity of certain nouns, combining with it in speech its actual meaning is revealed and thereby determines its relevance to a particular semantic class, semantic groups or thematic series, and thus the verbs of a narrow and a wide nomination from a wide nomination. Depending on the semantic structure of the verbs, their direct and figurative meanings differ. Often a potential seme of a verb is a concretizer and indicates the semantic class, groups and thematic series of nouns, and thus the verb actualizes its meaning in speech.


Author(s):  
Buranova A.V.

Purpose. The semantic development of names continues to be a topical issue in modern linguistics. The purpose of the study is to identify and analyze the figurative meanings of the artifacts names that are components of fixed expressions in Ukrainian, German and English, which were formed by the metonymic model “part ‒ whole”.Methods. The study used the method of dictionary definitions to demonstrate the ways of figurative meaning development in the semantic structure of artifact names and modeling method, which allowed to build models of semantic development of metonymic names to denote artifacts in three languages, namely the metonymic model “part ‒ whole”.Results. Metonymy as a semantic process occurs on the basis of similarity in contiguity. Much attention in linguistics is paid to metonymic modeling, with which it is possible to build models of semantic development of tokens to denote artifacts in Ukrainian, German and English. It is established that an artifact is any artificially created object. In the course of the research, percentages of the ratio of acquisition of figurative artifacts by names (“part ‒ whole”) (Ukrainian 85,7% / German 68,4% / English 90,5%), “reason ‒ consequence” (Ukrainian 9,5%) / German 26,3% / English 9.5%), “receptacle ‒ content” (Ukrainian 4,8% / German 5,3%), where the model “part ‒ whole” significantly prevails over others.Conclusions. It has been identified that the metonymic model “part ‒ whole” is the most common among other metonymic models. It is connected with the capability of human consciousness to perceive reality in the direction from specific to general. Awareness of the whole through the part is an important way of knowing reality, which reflects the cognitively determined ways of nomination. During the research, similarities and differences of transformations of Ukrainian, German and English of artifacts names, which took place on the basis of metonymic transfer, were recorded and analyzed. It is established that the common and different tendencies in the acquisition of figurative artifacts by names reflect the national stereotypes of figurative-associative thinking of a certain linguistic and cultural community.Key words: semantic development, name, rethinking, modeling, metonymy. Мета. Семантичний розвиток найменувань продовжує залишатись актуальним питанням у сучасній лінгвістиці. Дослідження присвячено виявленню й аналізу переносних значень найменувань артефактів, що є компонентами сталих виразів в українській, німецькій та англійській мовах, які були утворені за метонімічною моделлю «частина ‒ ціле».Методи. У дослідженні було застосовано метод словникових дефініцій для демонстрації шляхів розвитку переносного значення у семантичній структурі найменувань артефактів і метод моделювання, який дав змогу побудувати моделі семантичного розвитку метонімічних назв на позначення артефактів у трьох мовах, а саме метонімічної моделі «частина ‒ ціле».Результати. Метонімія як семантичний процес відбувається на основі подібності за суміжністю. Значна увага у лінгвістичній науці приділяється метонімічному моделюванню, за допомогою якого можна побудувати моделі семантичного розвитку лексем на позначення артефактів в українській, німецькій та англійській мовах. Встановлено, що артефактом є будь-який штучно створений людиною предмет. У процесі дослідження обчислено відсоткові показники співвідношення набуття найменуваннями артефактів переносного значення («частина ‒ ціле» (укр. 85,7% / нім. 68,4%/ англ. 90,5%), «причина ‒ наслідок» (укр. 9,5% / нім. 26,3% / англ. 9,5%), «вмістилище ‒ вміст» (укр. 4,8 % / нім. 5,3%), де модель «частина ‒ ціле» значно переважає над іншими.Висновки. Метонімічне переосмислення за моделлю «частина ‒ ціле» є найбільш поширеним серед досліджуваних метонімічних моделей. Це пов’язано з властивістю людської свідомості пізнавати дійсність у напрямі від конкретного до загального. Усвідомлення цілого через частину виступає важливим способом пізнання дійсності, що відображає когнітивно зумовлені способи номінації. Під час дослідження зафіксовано і проаналізовано подібності та відмінності трансформацій українських, німецьких й англійських назв артефактів, які відбулись на основі метонімічного перенесення. Спільні й відмінні тенденції у набутті назвами артефактів переносного значення відбивають національні стереотипи образно-асоціативного мислення певної лінгвокультурної спільноти.Ключові слова: семантичний розвиток, найменування, переосмислення, моделювання, метонімія.


1970 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 185-206
Author(s):  
Supriyono Supriyono

The ability of appreciation of poetry is a person's ability and skill in recognizing and understanding poetry seriously, both the physical structure and the inner structure , so that the resulting understanding, appreciation, sensitivity of critical thinking, and feeling good sensitivity to enjoy the beauty of poetry including existing aesthetic in it. Many factors affect the ability of appreciation of poetry, including the understanding of figurative language. The ability to understand figurative language is one skill in understanding the language used by the poet to say anything unusual way, ie, it does not directly reveal the meaning of words or language are metaphors or meaningful emblem. The ability to understand figurative language has an important role in enhancing the ability of the student 's appreciation of poetry, because poetry is inseparable from figurative language. Figurative language (figurative language) causing poetry becomes attracted attention , causing freshness, life, and especially lead wishful picture clarity. Thus, in order to have the ability to better appreciation of poetry required considerable understanding figurative language because it includes figurative meaning or symbolism. Kemampuan apresiasi puisi merupakan kesanggupan dan kecakapan seseorang dalam mengenal dan memahami puisi secara sungguh–sungguh, baik struktur fisik maupun struktur batinnya, sehingga timbul pengertian, penghargaan, kepekaan pikiran kritis, serta kepekaan perasaan yang baik terhadap puisi termasuk menikmati keindahan estetik yang ada di dalamnya. Banyak faktor yang mempengaruhi kemampuan apresiasi puisi, diantaranya adalah pemahaman terhadap bahasa figuratif. Kemampuan memahami bahasa figuratif merupakan kecakapan seseorang dalam memahami bahasa yang digunakan penyair untuk mengatakan sesuatu dengan cara yang tidak biasa,yakni secara tidak langsung mengungkapkan makna kata atau bahasa bermakna kias atau bermakna lambang. Kemampuan memahami bahasa figuratif mempunyai peran penting dalam meningkatkan kemampuan apresiasi puisi siswa, dikarenakan puisi tidak terlepas dari bahasa figuratif. Bahasa kiasan (figurative language) menyebabkan puisi menjadi menarik perhatian, menimbulkan kesegaran, hidup, dan terutama menimbulkan kejelasan gambaran angan. Dengan demikian agar memiliki kemampuan apresiasi puisi dengan baik diperlukan pemahaman bahasa figuratif yang cukup karena mencakup makna kias atau makna lambang.


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