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Article published In:
Cognitive Linguistic Studies
Vol. 8:1 (2021) ► pp.85–108

Our metaphorical minds

Language as cultural manifestations

ORCID logo | National Taiwan University

Aside from metaphor being an important language device reflecting human cognition, it also provides a window into the understanding of culture (Kövecsec 2019). Language is a function of culture because it is a form of the verbal and nonverbal systems by which a group member can communicate with another member. Language connects people of the same cultural identity because it functions as a common bond between people who have the same linguistic heritage. As argued in Verhagen (2008), values of one’s understanding of the world he lives in may in turn be influenced by the conceptual metaphors he unconsciously holds to visualize his world. Verhagen has provided a valuable standpoint, yet it is western-centered and European-oriented. Through metaphors identified in Chinese in proverbs, food, marriage, and time expressions, this paper intends to address the following questions: Does conceptual metaphors reflect any specific Chinese mode of thinking? Does such conceptualization give a taste of Chinese culture? What kind(s) of theoretical and pragmatic implications can be derived from our line of investigation? It is thus hoped that this paper may provide empirical evidence with reference to mappings between thought and language, which in turn, may serve as a way to explore culture.

Keywords: metaphor, language and thought, cognitive linguistics, culture
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Some basic concepts and methodology
    • 2.1Theoretical background
      • 2.1.1Reframing
      • 2.1.2Mental spaces and conceptual blending
    • 2.2Methodology
      • 2.2.1A cognitive approach
      • 2.2.2Data
  • 3.Metaphors and conceptualization
    • 3.1Marriage
    • 3.2Food
    • 3.3Time
      • 3.3.1Time and space
      • 3.3.2 time is water
  • 4.Towards a cultural model
    • 4.1Language and culture
    • 4.2Proverbs: A window to culture
  • 5.Conclusion
  • References
Published online: 8 September 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/cogls.00067.su
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