When it comes to expressing the more intangible aspects of life, languages tend to employ the instruments of metaphor and metonymy in order to relate attributes of more concrete phenomena to the abstract phenomenon in question. This is especially true when the vast field of human emotions is concerned. With the world’s languages differing in a myriad of ways in all sub-categories of structure-focused linguistics one might expect that the range of metaphors found in different languages should be just as limitless. Interlingual examinations of the metaphors used for articulating emotions, however, suggest that there are limits on the communicative resources employed (see Emanatian 1995, 163). In this paper I want to explore the idea that even completely unrelated languages may have a bias towards the use of certain communicative resources when certain universal human emotions are to be expressed linguistically. I want to take a closer look at common metaphors used for the articulation of lust and attitudes towards sex in four different languages, detect parallels and differences and propose that the three semantic domains of EATING, HEAT, and ANIMALS, might be cross-culturally favored as vehicles for conceptualizing feelings of lust and desire. I will argue that even completely unrelated cultures and languages tend to draw on these three metaphorical domains when attitudes towards sex and sexual activities are to be articulated.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Metaphor Theory
- 2.1 The Objectivist View of Metaphor
- 2.2 The Contemporary View of Metaphor
- 3. Sexual metaphors: A cross-linguistic overview
- 3.1 Source domain: HEAT
- 3.2 Source domain: HUNGER/EATING
- 3.3 Source domain: ANIMAL
- 3.5 Source domain: INSANITY
- 3.6 Source domains: SPORT and MACHINE
- 3.6 Summary and Juxtaposition
- 4. Discussion
- 4.1 Mapping: LUST IS HEAT
- 4.2 Mappings: LUST IS HEAT / SEX IS EATING
- 4.3 Mapping: A SEXUAL ACTOR IS AN ANIMAL
- 4.4 Non-universal source domains
- 5. Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper explores the cross-cultural and cross-linguistic use of metaphors for lust and sex in English, German, French, and Chagga. The objective is to identify common metaphorical domains across these languages, particularly examining whether certain domains (HEAT, HUNGER/EATING, and ANIMALS) are preferred cross-culturally for conceptualizing lust and desire. The paper contrasts the objectivist and contemporary views of metaphor to provide a theoretical framework for its analysis.
- Cross-linguistic analysis of metaphors for lust and sex.
- Identification of common metaphorical source domains across different languages.
- Comparison of Indo-European languages (English, German, French) with a non-Indo-European language (Chagga).
- Examination of the role of cultural influences on metaphorical usage.
- Discussion of the objectivist and contemporary theories of metaphor.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter establishes the paper's central research question: Do unrelated languages exhibit a preference for certain metaphorical domains when expressing universal emotions like lust and sex? The author introduces four languages for analysis—English, German, French, and Chagga—chosen to represent linguistic and cultural diversity. It outlines the methodology, focusing on identifying and comparing metaphorical expressions related to lust and sex, and suggests that HEAT, HUNGER/EATING, and ANIMALS may serve as cross-culturally favored metaphorical domains for these concepts. The chapter concludes by briefly previewing the theoretical framework (Lakoff and Johnson's theory of metaphor) that will underpin the analysis.
2. Metaphor Theory: This chapter lays the theoretical groundwork by contrasting two views of metaphor: the objectivist view, which sees metaphor as solely a figurative device used in literary contexts, and the contemporary view (Lakoff and Johnson), which posits metaphor as fundamental to human thought and conceptualization. The objectivist view, grounded in the idea of fixed word meanings, is criticized for neglecting the role of context and listener interpretation. The contemporary view, emphasizing the embodied and culturally-influenced nature of meaning, is presented as the preferred theoretical lens for the subsequent cross-linguistic analysis. The chapter highlights that understanding metaphor as a conceptual tool is essential to interpreting its use in expressing complex emotions.
3. Sexual metaphors: A cross-linguistic overview: This chapter presents a cross-linguistic overview of metaphors used to articulate lust and sex, drawing on examples from English, German, French, and Chagga. The chapter is organized into sub-sections focusing on specific metaphorical source domains (HEAT, HUNGER/EATING, ANIMAL, INSANITY, SPORT, and MACHINE). Each sub-section provides examples from the chosen languages, thereby facilitating a comparative analysis to highlight both similarities and differences in the use of these source domains for expressing lust and sexual attitudes across diverse cultures and linguistic backgrounds. The chapter's summary and juxtaposition section prepares the ground for the ensuing discussion of the findings.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Conceptual metaphor, cross-cultural communication, cross-linguistic analysis, lust, sex, metaphorical domains, HEAT, HUNGER/EATING, ANIMALS, Lakoff and Johnson, objectivist view, contemporary view, English, German, French, Chagga.
Frequently Asked Questions: Cross-Cultural Metaphors for Lust and Sex
What is the main topic of this paper?
This paper explores the cross-cultural and cross-linguistic use of metaphors for lust and sex in English, German, French, and Chagga. It investigates whether certain metaphorical domains are preferred across different languages and cultures for conceptualizing lust and desire.
What are the key themes explored in the paper?
Key themes include a cross-linguistic analysis of metaphors for lust and sex, identification of common metaphorical source domains across languages, a comparison of Indo-European and non-Indo-European languages (Chagga), the examination of cultural influences on metaphorical usage, and a discussion of objectivist and contemporary theories of metaphor.
What languages are included in the study?
The study analyzes metaphorical expressions related to lust and sex in English, German, French, and Chagga. These languages were chosen to represent linguistic and cultural diversity.
What is the theoretical framework used in the analysis?
The paper contrasts objectivist and contemporary views of metaphor. The objectivist view is criticized for its limitations, while the contemporary view (Lakoff and Johnson's theory of metaphor), which emphasizes the embodied and culturally-influenced nature of meaning, is adopted as the primary theoretical lens.
What are some of the key metaphorical source domains examined?
The paper focuses on several key metaphorical source domains, including HEAT, HUNGER/EATING, and ANIMALS, to analyze how they are used across the chosen languages to conceptualize lust and sexual desire.
What are the main findings of the study (as previewed)?
The study aims to identify common metaphorical domains used across the selected languages. It investigates whether domains like HEAT, HUNGER/EATING, and ANIMALS are preferred cross-culturally for conceptualizing lust and desire. A comparison of findings across languages and cultures is central to the analysis.
How is the paper structured?
The paper is structured into five chapters: an introduction establishing the research question and methodology; a chapter on metaphor theory; a chapter presenting a cross-linguistic overview of sexual metaphors; a discussion chapter analyzing the mappings and findings; and a concluding chapter summarizing the results.
What are the key words associated with the study?
Key words include conceptual metaphor, cross-cultural communication, cross-linguistic analysis, lust, sex, metaphorical domains, HEAT, HUNGER/EATING, ANIMALS, Lakoff and Johnson, objectivist view, contemporary view, English, German, French, and Chagga.
What is the overall objective of this research?
The objective is to identify common metaphorical domains across English, German, French, and Chagga for conceptualizing lust and desire, particularly examining whether domains like HEAT, HUNGER/EATING, and ANIMALS are preferred cross-culturally.
- Quote paper
- Nico Tobias Wirtz (Author), 2012, Eat Me! - A cross-cultural, cross-linguistic analysis of conceptual metaphors for lust and sex, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/209097
