Conceptual Integration

This dissertation adopts a cognitive approach to the comprehension of English news headlines within the framework of Conceptual Integration Theory which is proposed by Gilles Fauconnier and Mark Turner as a cognitive operation and serves a variety of cognitive purposes. This dissertation attempts to demonstrate the mental cognitive meaning construction process and offer an alternative perspective on the study of English news headlines.Conceptual integration has complete networks, which function independently according to a set of uniform structural and dynamic principles. The basic operation comprises four mental spaces: two input spaces, one generic space and one blended space. In blending, structures from input spaces are selectively projected to a separate"blended space". Through composition, completion and elaboration, the blend develops structures that are not provided by the inputs. With this theory, the hidden cognitive mechanism involved in the interpretation of news headlines can be revealed. It offers an exciting possibility for cognitive interpretation of news headlines.The whole dissertation is made up of four parts. Chapter 1 presents a brief introduction to the general framework of the study. In Chapter 2, Conceptual Integration Theory is exposited with examples, including the network model and four kinds of sub networks. Its relationship with metaphor study is also reviewed in this part. Chapter 3 is the heart of the whole study. The analyses are demonstrated with case study from four aspects: metaphorical expression, linguistic structure, allusion and picture which concern the English news headlines. The analyses prove that conceptual blending theory is a mighty explanatory theory in cognitive interpretation of English news headlines. The last chapter is a conclusion of the whole thesis in which limitations of the study are pointed.