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?
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.

THEORIES ARE
BUILDINGS

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.

THEORIES ARE
BUILDINGS
CONCEPTUAL
DOMAIN (A) IS
CONCEPTUAL
DOMAIN (B)

Correspondences between
domains
SOURCE DOMAIN
(BUILDING)
the foundation of a
building
support

TARGET DOMAIN
(THEORY)
the basis of the
theory
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.
Ive never won an argument with
him.
If you use that strategy, hell wipe
you out.

TIME IS MONEY
Youre 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 dont use your time profitably.

LIFE IS A JOURNEY

Hes without direction in life.

Im at a crossroads in my life.
Shes gone through a lot in life.
Hes gone (= died).

metaphor vs. metaphorical linguistic

expression
metaphor

THEORIES ARE
BUILDINGS
ARGUMENT IS WAR
TIME IS MONEY
LIFE IS A JOURNEY

metaphorical
linguistic
expression
Is that the foundation
for your theory?
Your claims are
indefensible.
Youre wasting my
time.
Hes 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)

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, centreperiphery, 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. Hes 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
2. Inflation has robbed me of my savings.
INFLATION IS A PERSON
3. Hes rich in ideas.
IDEAS ARE MONEY
4. She has a fertile imagination.
IDEAS ARE PLANTS
5. Life is empty for him. LIFE IS A CONTAINER
6. 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
Its been a long bumpy road.
Look how far weve come.
LOVE IS A NUTRIENT
Im starved for love.
LOVE IS A FIRE
He is burning with love
LOVE IS MAGIC
Im 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
Its been a long bumpy road. (progress)
Look how far weve come.
LOVE IS A NUTRIENT
Im starved for love.
LOVE IS A FIRE
He is burning with love
LOVE IS MAGIC
Im 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
Its been a long bumpy road. (progress)
Look how far weve come.
LOVE IS A NUTRIENT
Im starved for love.
(desire)
LOVE IS A FIRE
He is burning with love
LOVE IS MAGIC
Im 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
Its been a long bumpy road. (progress)
Look how far weve come.
LOVE IS A NUTRIENT
Im starved for love.
(desire)
LOVE IS A FIRE
He is burning with love
(intensity)
LOVE IS MAGIC
Im 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
Its been a long bumpy road. (progress)
Look how far weve come.
LOVE IS A NUTRIENT
Im starved for love.
(desire)
LOVE IS A FIRE
He is burning with love
(intensity)
LOVE IS MAGIC
Im 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