A Study On The Construction Process Of Synaesthesia From The Cognitive Perspective

Synaesthesia, more than a rhetorical device widely-used in literary works, is a means of knowing the world.On the basis of the analyses of the cognitive basis, principles and mechanisms of Synaesthetic metaphor, this paper tries to analyze the construction process of Synaesthetic metaphor within the framework of Conceptual Blending Theory and Conceptual Metaphor Theory. It points out that: Firstly, the construction process of Synaesthetic metaphor is the association by similarity among five perceptual sense domains, which are dynamic processes of conceptual integration or blending. Secondly, Synaesthetic metaphor is constructed on the basis of the physiological and psychological universality in Synaesthesia, which are embodied physically, psychologically and neurally. Thirdly, all the mixed sensations are not random correspondence without any connections. On the contrary, they must be in very close logical relations or there are certain principles or rules governing Synaesthetic metaphor. Lastly, Synaesthetic metaphor is widely-used in our daily life.