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Part of
Figurative Meaning Construction in Thought and Language
Edited by Annalisa Baicchi
[Figurative Thought and Language 9] 2020
► pp. 71–88

A multi-level view of metaphor and some of its advantages

| Eötvös Loránd University

This chapter focuses on the way in which we think about our conceptual system and puts forward a number of questions related to its essential structures in terms of their schematicity. It is proposed that image schemas, domains, frames and mental spaces are interconnected in metaphorical conceptualization. A detailed analysis of the source domain of building is carried out in order to pin down the kind of distinctions that we may postulate regarding its operation with a view to depicting the functioning of the system. The multi-layered view of metaphor is advanced, which can accommodate many aspects of metaphor and account for a number of metaphor-related phenomena in a unified manner.

Keywords: conceptual metaphors, domain, image schema, frame, mental space
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.What are the appropriate conceptual structures in CMT?: Image schemas, domains, frames, or mental spaces?
  • 3.Should conceptual metaphors be formulated at a schematic or specific level?
  • 4.Which source domain items are mapped onto the target?
  • 5.Do the mappings always go from source to target?
  • 6.Are there any “isolated” metaphors?
  • 7.Summary and discussion
  • 8.Conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
Published online: 12 August 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ftl.9.03kov
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