In this paper, I will attempt to make a connection between the theory of grounded cognition for abstract concepts and the grounding of structural metaphors. The relationship between language and abstract concepts and the role that metaphors play in this regard will be explained by the importance of context in which we use them. In a first step, the meaning of abstract concepts is considered in more detail. Next, I will focus on conceptual metaphors and show how language makes use of them to provide structure for our reception of abstract concepts. In a final step, the role that idiomatic realizations of these conceptual metaphors play in the structuring of abstract concepts will be presented by discussing the conceptual metaphor THE MIND IS A BOOK. Consequently, the main question to be pursued is: How do metaphors and idioms in particular help us to structure abstract concepts?
"We didn't have metaphors in my day. We didn't beat around the bush." This quotation by the English cricketer Fred Trueman creates the impression that metaphors are something that makes language less tangible or harder to grasp. If Trueman had studied metaphors from a linguistic point of view, he might have concluded that just the opposite is true. Metaphors help us to better understand abstract concepts. Abstract concepts have been a subject of linguistic and psychological studies for several decades now. Many different approaches have been made to explain their origin, acquisition, and application when we deploy language. In recent years, the embodied or grounded cognition view has become more and more a "well-established theory or collection of theories" for the analysis of concepts. Similarly, Lakoff and Johnson (1980) have shown that structural metaphors are "grounded in our physical and cultural experience".
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction.
- What are Abstract Concepts?
- Toward a Grounded Cognition Approach to Concepts.
- Conceptual Metaphors and how they provide structure
- On Metaphors and Idioms
- The Mind is a Book
- Books, Reading and Lines
- Chapters and Genres...
- Covers and Pages.......
- Conclusion.
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to investigate the role of metaphors and idioms in structuring abstract concepts. It explores the relationship between language and abstract concepts, focusing on how metaphors provide a grounding for our understanding of these concepts. The paper analyzes the theory of grounded cognition in relation to abstract concepts and examines how conceptual metaphors, particularly the metaphor "THE MIND IS A BOOK," contribute to our comprehension of abstract ideas.
- The role of metaphors and idioms in structuring abstract concepts.
- The relationship between language and abstract concepts.
- The theory of grounded cognition as applied to abstract concepts.
- The conceptual metaphor "THE MIND IS A BOOK" and its implications for understanding abstract concepts.
- The importance of context in the use and interpretation of metaphors and idioms.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the topic of metaphors and their role in understanding abstract concepts. It discusses the common misconception that metaphors make language less tangible and argues that they actually enhance our comprehension. The chapter also introduces the concept of grounded cognition and its relevance to the study of abstract concepts.
- What are Abstract Concepts?: This chapter defines abstract concepts and explores their nature and representation in the mind. It highlights the challenges of representing abstract concepts and introduces the grounded cognition approach as a potential solution.
- Toward a Grounded Cognition Approach to Concepts: This chapter elaborates on the grounded cognition approach to concepts, contrasting it with the disembodied cognition approach. It explains how this theory addresses the challenges of representing abstract concepts by grounding them in perceptual and sensorimotor experiences.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper focuses on the key concepts of abstract concepts, metaphors, idioms, grounded cognition, and conceptual metaphors. It analyzes the role of these elements in structuring our understanding of abstract concepts, particularly through the example of the metaphor "THE MIND IS A BOOK".
- Citation du texte
- Jonathan Vogel (Auteur), 2022, The Metaphoric and Idiomatic Structuring of Abstract Concepts, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1274258
