The Cohesive Function Of Conceptual Metaphor In The Economic Discourse

This thesis aims at developing the cohesive function of conceptual metaphor from cognitive linguistics perspective. Combined the theories of conceptual metaphor with methods in discourse analysis, the cohesive force will be explained in this thesis. The study is based on the dynamic economic discourse involving a great number of metaphors, which is said to be a changing and open system. By way of the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the selected samples, it is testified that conceptual metaphor plays cohesive function in discourse. In turn, the conclusion further supports contemporary metaphor theories. Besides, it contributes to understand abstract economic notions without any effort, as well to its application in English teaching.Metaphor, as a very common phenomenon in language, is always a hot research topic that has drawn intellectual pursuit. Particularly, it has been studied since the 1930s from different aspects in different disciplines, such as philosophy, logic, sociology, semiotics, psychology, and pragmatics. Changing from a linguistic phenomenon to a tool of thinking or reasoning, metaphor research realizes its transmission from a traditional view to a contemporary view. Cognitive linguistics regards metaphor as a conceptual phenomenon, which is prevalent in our life. From the year 1980, the book Metaphors We Live by jointly published by Lakoff and Johnson moved metaphor researches into a cognitive perspective. It seems that the study of metaphor in vocabulary and syntax is continuous and fruitful. Nevertheless, the study on textual level is rare to see and, the research in economic discourse is far from enough. Up until the end of last century, several western scholars pin their attentions to its textual function. Therefore, the present thesis focuses its study on cohesive function of conceptual metaphor in nearly one hundred selected samples dealt with economic concerns, like finance, market, management, price and sales.Based on the previous researches, the thesis provides a further analysis on the cohesive function of conceptual metaphor in discourses. Mainly based on both Lakoff and Johnson's Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) and Fauconnier and Turner's Blending Theory (BT), it will be testified that conceptual metaphor in selected economic discourses is not merely the changed form of abstract technical term but also plays a cohesive function realized through reference, reiteration and collocation. Based on the classification and illustration of samples, it is pointed out the significance of teaching metaphor, especially in reading comprehension. Being capable of recognizing and understanding conceptual metaphor, students will get a clue of vivid expressions construction, topics extension, as well as the authors'intentions.The thesis falls into six parts.A brief introduction goes initially, which includes the rationale, objective, and origination of the whole thesis. Chapter One gives literature review of the previous and present studies of metaphor in China and abroad, as well the brief introduction of relevant theories put forward by cognitive linguists. Chapter Two offers a detailed explanation of two working mechanisms for conceptual metaphor---Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT), and Blending Theory (BT). The author goes through cohesive relation in grammar and lexical cohesion under the framework of discourse analysis, and then puts forward the concrete ways of cohesive force realized by conceptual metaphor. It is assumed that the major cohesive chains generated by conceptual metaphor from mainly three aspects, say, reference, reiteration and collocation. Chapter Three presents a study by sample analyses to show how conceptual metaphor performs the cohesive function in economic discourse. It is clearly shown that conceptual metaphors appeared in sequence to form a variety of cohesive chains. To be exactly, the author proposed the most obvious realization in reference, reiteration and collocation, supported by a couple of samples respectively. After that, several samples give a general analysis to the chosen paragraph as a whole. Table and chart in statistic analysis back up the argument further. It is safe to conclude that conceptual metaphor theories give methods to understand the passage in deep. Moreover, discourse analysis methods help us figure out the realization of the cohesive function. In all, conceptual metaphors correlated with others in the same passage to form cohesive chains, which contribute to the process of the whole passage. Chapter Four makes an exploration to the significance of the cohesive function in English teaching. In addition, the sixth part offers a brief summary and draws a conclusion.