Comparative Studies On Metaphors For "Death" In English And Chinese

Metaphor is a pervasive phenomenon. Traditional studies usually regard metaphor as a rhetoric device, while modern studies view it more cognitively than rhetorically. Most of the everyday language we use is metaphorical and our thinking is metaphorical, too. Metaphor has become an indispensable tool for us to learn about and construe the world around us. Death is not only an irresistible physiological phenomenon but also an inevitable social phenomenon. Death is an eternal subject of human beings, and it is a concept that is heavily metaphorical in nature. Thus it is really worthwhile conducting researches on the metaphorical expressions for"death", which reflect, to great extent, the culture-bound cognitive model of a particular nation. This thesis tries to carry out the comparative studies of metaphors for"death"in English and Chinese, which would contribute greatly to our exploration of culture cognitive models in English and Chinese nations.In this thesis, the author first reviews the development of the metaphor study, and then introduces the cognitive approaches to metaphor. Euphemisms for"death"are the most typical, while it is mainly composed of metaphors and metonymies, so the author makes comparative studies of metaphors for"death"in English and Chinese,illustrating the common metaphors for"death"and the different metaphors for"death"between English and Chinese from five aspects respectively. The similarities and the differences are interpreted from the perspective of both Chinese and English cultures in the following section. Finally, suggestions for further comparative studies on metaphors for"death"are put forward.