Week 2: Image schemas; Domains and Mappings

Cognitive discourse analysis

Part 2: Words, domains,

mappings

In a given context, certain words can evoke meanings that are not literally associated with them:for example: „attack”

He attacked…

He attacked…

He attacked her arguments.

meanings of „attack”

attack

physically attack (literal)

engage in non-physical conflict (metaphorical)

more examples

• these vocabulary choices are not random

• they reflect a systematic set of correspondences between two domains: a mapping Systematic

correspondences

When two different, otherwise distinct conceptual domains enter into a relation where one (the source domain) lends its structure to the other (the target domain). MAPPING

where do mappings come from?

When basic human experiences (lifting things, feeling hungry, feeling warm / cold) are connected to emotions or cognitive states they become mappings.

These mappings are called primary metaphors (Grady 1997).

where do mappings come from?

When basic human experiences (lifting things, feeling hungry, feeling warm / cold) are connected to emotions or cognitive states they become mappings.

These mappings are called primary metaphors (Grady 1997).

Some scientists suggest that there are innate synaesthetic correspondences, for example between shapes and sounds (cf. Narayanan 2010).

Let’s see…

Out of these two creatures, which one do you think is called

Bouba, and which is Kiki?

95% of American college undergraduates and Tamil speakers in India agree:

How is this possible?

where do mappings come from?

When basic human experiences (lifting things, feeling hungry, feeling warm / cold) are connected to emotions or cognitive states they become mappings.

feeling cold and unhappy

feeling warm and loved

These mappings are called primary metaphors (Grady 1997).

feelings are sensations

• For babies affection = warmth

• Lack of contact = coldness

• Warmth becomes associated with positive contact, coldness with negative experiences (being treated poorly, ignored or being afraid)

feelings are sensations

And so:

• She received a warm welcome

• He is known to be a very warm person

• He reacted coldly

• She froze him out completely

primary mappings

some primary mappingsfrom Lakoff and Johnson’s „Philosophy of the Flesh”

affection is

warmth

bad is

stinky

important is

big

intimacy is closeness

more is up

happy is up

difficulties are burdens

similarity is

closeness

categories are containers

linear scales

are paths

organization is physical structure

help is support

states are locations

actions are

self-propelled motions

purposes are destinations

causes are physical forces

purposes are

desired objects

control is up

relationships are

enclosures

knowing is seeing

seeing is

touching

directionality• conceptual metaphor

mappings are unidirectional

• the direction is usually from the mores structured (concrete, experiential) domain to the less structured (abstract) domain

what’s a domain anyway?

a domain is „a chunk of conceptual matter”

(Dancygier and Sweetser 2014: 17)

defining a domain

• difficult to determine what exactly constitutes a domain

• this is because human concepts are fuzzy

domains can have funny consequences

cows

cows

udder

cows

udder

???

names of domains are arbitrary

• this means that the names are used not necessarily because they best reflect the content of a domain, but because they are conventionalised

LOVE is a JOURNEY• Our relationship has hit a dead-end street.

Look how far we’ve come.

• It’s been a long, bumpy road.

• We can’t turn back now.

• We’re at a cross-roads.

• We may have to go our separate ways.

• The relationship isn’t going anywhere.

• We’re spinning our wheels.

• The marriage is on the rocks.

LOVE is a JOURNEY• We’ve come a long way

together = LOVE is a JOURNEY

• She is stuck in this relationship = LOVE is a SWAMP (?)

• He has an affair = LOVE is an OBJECT (?)

• They have tied the knot = LOVE is SOME STRING (?)

common source domains• the human body (the heart of the problem) • health and illness (a healthy society, she hurt my feelings) • animals (a pig, a skunk, an eagle, 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

Task 1Identify source and target domains. Label the metaphor.

• His ego is very fragile.

• Inflation has robbed me of my savings.

• He’s rich in ideas.

• She has a fertile imagination.

• Life is empty for him.

• My fear of insects is driving her crazy.

• His ego is very fragile. • THE MIND IS A BRITTLE OBJECT

• Inflation has robbed me of my savings. • INFLATION IS A PERSON

• He’s rich in ideas. • IDEAS ARE MONEY

• She has a fertile imagination. • IDEAS ARE PLANTS

• Life is empty for him. • LIFE IS A CONTAINER

• My fear of insects is driving her crazy. • FEAR IS AN OBJECT. FEAR IS A FORCE.

Task 1- answers

mappings are partial

• When a metaphor focuses on one or some aspects of a target domain then it highlights that aspect

• The other aspects of the domain remain hidden (out of focus).

• Metaphors function a bit like a spotlight.

in the metaphor ARGUMENT IS A BUILDING we do not utilise many elements of the source:

• doors,

• toilets,

• windows,

• living in the building, etc.

mappings are not definitive

• Several metaphors can be used to structure the same concept

ARGUMENT is …?Several metaphors are used to structure the concept of argument:

• container metaphor – the content of the argument

• war – control over the argument

• journey – progress, content

• building – construction, strength

Task 2What 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.

Task 2 - answersWhat 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)

Task 3In groups, identify the conceptual metaphors manifested by these examples. Name the domain(s).

Which aspects of the target domain are highlighted and which aspects are hidden?

1. Waves of depression came over him. 2. He brought me down with his remarks. 3. He is in a dark mood. 4. I am filled with sorrow. 5. This fills me with sorrow. 6. That was a terrible blow. 7. Tim heals all sorrows. 8. He was insane with grief. 9. He drowned his sorrow in drink. 10.His feelings of misery got out of hand. 11.She was ruled by sorrow.

1. Waves of depression came over him.

• SADNESS IN A NATURAL FORCE

• Highlighted: passivity, lack of control

• Hidden: cause, attempt at control, behavioural responses, responsibility

2. He brought me down with his remarks.

• SAD IS DOWN

• Highlighted: negative character of emotion

• Hidden: cause, attempt at control

3. He is in a dark mood.

• SAD IS DARK

• Highlighted: negative character of emotion

• Hidden: cause, attempt at control

4. I am filled with sorrow.

• SADNESS IS A FLUID IN A CONTAINER

• Highlighted: intensity, attempt at control - loss of control, personal character of emotion

• Hidden: negative character of emotion, cause

5. This fills me with sorrow.

• SADNESS IS A FLUID IN A CONTAINER

• Highlighted: intensity, loss of control, personal character of emotion, external cause of sadness

• Hidden: negative character of emotion, responsibility

6. That was a terrible blow.

• SADNESS IS A PHYSICAL FORCE

• Highlighted: passivity, sudden impact

• Hidden: cause, attempt at control, behavioral responses

7. Time heals all sorrows.

• SADNESS IS A DISEASE

• Highlighted: negative character of emotion, passivity, authority of emotion over person

• Hidden: responsibility

8. He was insane with grief.

• SADNESS IS INSANITY

• Highlighted: lack of control

• Hidden: attempt at control, responsibility

9. He drowned his sorrow in drink.

• SADNESS IS AN OPPONENT

• Highlighted: attempt at control, external character of emotion, adversarial relationship between person and emotion

• Hidden: responsibility

10. His feelings of misery got out of hand.

• SADNESS IS A CAPTIVE ANIMAL

• Highlighted: loss of control, external character of emotion

• Hidden: passivity

11. She was ruled by sorrow.

• SADNESS IS A SOCIAL SUPERIOR

• Highlighted: lack of control, authority of emotion over person

• Hidden: responsibility

HomeworkHere is a list of some conceptual metaphors.

Come up with three possible advertising slogans for a book subscription service that sends you one book every month.

The slogan should have the form „X is Y” + explanation.

You can choose the genre of the book (e.g. self-help, fantasy, journalism etc.). You can also use images and come up with a whole ad.

great stories are food for thought

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