A Study On Chinese Metaphor From The Perspective Of Complex Dynamic Theory

Metaphor is very common in our daily communication,which makes metaphor an important research topic in discourse study.Studying metaphors in real discourse can help us better understand how people use metaphors and help us have a more objective understanding of the nature of metaphor.However,despite many achievements made in the current studies of Chinese metaphor,there is still a lack of a unified theoretical framework which can be used to analyze metaphor in an overall way.And most of the studies emphasize describing the static formal structures of metaphor,neglecting the explanatory research of metaphor.And also most of the studies base their research on written materials,lack of research on the process of real discourse.Further,most of the studies are still based on qualitative analysis with few corpus-based overall research.Therefore,the actual formation mechanism and the existence mode of metaphor has not yet being given a credible explanation as well as revealing the actual nature of metaphor.Based on the previous studies,under the relatively real communicative context and with the help of the interdisciplinary approach from the perspective of complex dynamic theory,this study focuses on metaphor use at the discourse level and investigates metaphor use in language communication quantitatively and qualitatively,probing into its formation mechanism,the way it exists and the rules of metaphor use,with the expectation of revealing the nature of metaphor so as to enrich and expand the current researches on Chinese metaphors both theoretically and practically.The main contents of this dissertation are as follows:(1)In this study,we first make a comprehensive analysis and review of the current Chinese metaphor research,and discuss the achievements and deficencies that the current research have made in theories and methodologies.(2)This paper puts forward the theoretical basis of this study,that is,complex dynamic theory.Under the guidance of the theory,this paper analyzes the internal and external factors that cause and shape the formation of metaphor,and puts forward the formation mechanism of metaphor.And it also analyzes the fundamental motives of metaphor use and the factors that influence metaphor use in discourse,and puts forward the existence modes of metaphor in discourse.Finally,combined with the current research findings of Chinese metaphor and complex dynamic theory,a dynamic multidimensional model of metaphor research is constructed,and based on which,the definition of metaphor,the method of metaphor identification and the observational dimensions of metaphor research are given.(3)Based on the above research framework and the Chinese corpus,this paper analyzes the formal features of metaphor use and discusses the density of metaphors in the discourse corpus.The typical features of metaphorical expression structures and the distributional features of metaphors in discourse are also discussed.And this paper analyzes the dynamic process of metaphoric use in communication,examining the shifting of metaphorical structure in local dynamics of discourse,the metaphorical interaction among communicative participants,the choice and variation of specific metaphorical expressions in specific contexts,the dynamic process of entrenchment,and the features of metaphorical use patterns on the level of discourse events.The main innovations and values of this study lie in:(1)From the interdisciplinary perspective of complex dynamic theory,we reexamine the nature of metaphor,breaking through the static view of traditional metaphor research,and investigate the production and understanding of metaphors in the process of language communication,pushing metaphor research closer to the truth as it is,breaking new ground for the study of Chinese metaphor and broadening the perspective of metaphor research.(2)From the interdisciplinary perspective,this paper proposes that the formation of metaphor is the result of the interaction between agent-based multi-modular and multi-sensory system and the environment.And from the point of view of inter-connectedness,this paper examines the complex relationship between metaphor use and its environment and finds that the existence mode of metaphor has the characteristics of multidimensional,interactivity,adaptability,multilevel,subjectivity and dynamics.(3)The study puts forwards a dynamical multi-dimensional model of metaphor that aims at integrating the current findings of cognitive research and discourse studies so that all studies can find their corresponding positions within the research framework.Within this framework,the definition and identification of metaphor are given,and an overall and objective description of the formal features and dynamic process of metaphor use are presented based on a large amount of authentic language material,which profoundly reveals the complex dynamic nature of metaphor.(4)Based on the research of metaphor use in communication,this study discovers the features and rules of metaphor use in Chinese communication both theoretically and empirically.These findings are of great significant implications to the cultivation of metaphorical competence in teaching Chinese as a second language as well as the compilation of relevant textbooks.