Based On The Semantics Of Metaphor

Based on the close relations between rhetoric and semantics, this dissertation starts with the meaning of simile, combined with semantic feature analysis, markedness theory, category theory, prototype theory, context theory, relevance theory and blending space theory, attempting to make a multi-level, multi-angle description and explanation in order to further and enrich the study of simile.This dissertation consists of the following components, they are: a survey of previous simile studies; introduction to the basic theories and approaches of semantics; analysis of relative and absolute meanings of simile semantic types; analysis of the generating approaches of similar meaning like correspondence and addition; redefinition of simile based on meaning, markedness, category theory, element confirmation and classification; discussion of the aesthetic differences of epochal and simile meaning of ancient and modern times, and the influence and constraints of cultural meaning upon the implicit of simile targets; exploration of the constraining, adapting and controlling relations between simile meaning and contexts; analysis of implicit and ellipsis phenomena of simile; analysis of the relevance of simile meaning in discourse in terms of relevance theory; analysis of the constructing manners and cognitive pragmatic functions of reversion, fusion, transference and combination of counterfactual meaning in the light of cognitive linguistic theories like blending space theory; cognitive confirmation of similar meanings of simile through some examples of sameness in form but differences in content; analysis of the spreading activation of simile meanings in different semantic fields; discussion of appropriateness principle, prominence principle of controlling the generation of similar relations and meanings; inspection of the prototypicality and accessibility of simile elements, and their functions and influences upon the forming of simile meanings.